“I know what you’re thinking. The book’s cover announces that it
covers both Python 2.6 and 3.x. Firing up Python on Ubuntu 9.04
(no, I haven’t upgraded to Karmic Koala yet…give me a few days),
brings up Python 2.6.2, but on Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (I need LTS on my
production machine), I access Python 2.5.2, so a lot of “growing”
has taken place recently. The Python 3.x changes are sprinkled
throughout the later chapters of the book, so don’t expect entire
sections dedicated to just that version. This book remains
dedicated to teaching the Python programming language from the
ground up, and doesn’t separate chapters or sections by version
number. If you need a book that’s focused on Python 3.x, I’d
suggest Programming in Python 3: A Complete Introduction to the
Python Language. Lutz’s book also points out the information that’s
changed for 2.6.“Learning Python is really the first half of the Python
experience provided by O’Reilly. This book is meant to teach you
about Python as a language. The second half, Programming Python,
also written by Lutz, picks up where Learning Python leaves off,
and teaches you how to use Python as a programmer, rather than a
student.”