
The Best Email I've Ever Received - mnemonik
http://sheddingbikes.com/posts/1281413656.html
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ajj
There is no satisfaction like adding value to someone's life through your
work.

~~~
lunaru
Being able to build a successful company based on that model is probably even
more satisfying.

~~~
bnoordhuis
I understand your sentiment but it's not all about the money.

~~~
delano
Building a successful company isn't all about money.

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pmichaud
Yeah, that's the cool thing about my business too. I get e-mail all the time
about how people were on the brink, and now their life is turned around. It's
awesome.

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takrupp
I too used your book to get started in Python. It was a great introductory
lesson, and definitely my learning style. Thank you!

Going to try Python for Fun this month
(<http://openbookproject.net/py4fun/index.html>) to get a bit more advanced
and pick up Learning Python ([http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-Powerful-
Object-Orient...](http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Python-Powerful-Object-
Oriented-
Programming/dp/0596158068/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IQCH5A5AIF344&colid=1Q57C3U55EHX2)),
unless anyone else has any other better suggestions?

~~~
zedshaw
Awesome. I posted a whole bunch more lessons, so not sure when you stopped
reading LPTHW but try grabbing it again. Learning Python is a great book, and
it's huge so you'll have tons of things to work on. I haven't heard of python
4 fun before.

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virinvictus
It is a great introduction to Python, so I'm happy Zed is getting some
positive feedback. Way to go, Zed.

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slowpoison
How come Zed uses temporal nouns ("today") but there's nary a timestamp on his
blog posts!?

~~~
supirman
post url is a unix timestamp, eg 1281413656.html => Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:14:16
GMT

~~~
callahad
Oh, wow, why didn't I ever think to do that? That makes so much sense...

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stcredzero
I'll be at Antidote in Houston tonight for the informal Learn Python The Hard
Way Tuesday. No big deal. We just sit there going through Zed's book and if
you get stumped, I help you figure out the answer. You can also try this
userid on Skype or at yahoo by email. Tonight, I may be preoccupied by someone
from okcupid.

~~~
mdg
>Tonight, I may be preoccupied by someone from okcupid.

Like a date? Or someone who works there?

~~~
stcredzero
Neither.

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cemetric
Finding my way to your book, nice way to learn Python, thanks!

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tkahn6
_really change my families living conditions and quality of life_

Does this mean he was able to get a job with his Python skills?

~~~
zedshaw
He emailed me more details. Basically, he's a system administrator who learned
Python through my book, and actually just an early version of it. He hadn't
been able to learn programming before. He then wrote some software at his
company that got him enough of a raise that he could move his family out of a
bad neighborhood and buy a house. He then got a promotion and has been on the
up ever since.

This is why I liked it so much. When I tell system administrators they have to
learn to code, I really mean it will help them. Hopefully my book can do that
for even more of them (and others).

~~~
tkahn6
I'm not very religious, but within Judaic law, teaching someone a skill which
allows them to better their financial situation is considered the highest
level of charity.

It comes from Leviticus 25:35

    
    
       וכי-ימוך אחיך, ומטה ידו עמך--והחזקת בו, גר ותושב וחי עמך
    

"And if thy brother is of lesser means than you, you shall strengthen the
stranger and the dweller in your midst and live with him, [so that he no
longer be in need]"

