Page 117 - Programming the Raspberry Pi Getting Started with Python

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What Next

The Raspberry Pi is a phenomenally flexible device that you can use in all sorts of situations—as a
desktop computer replacement, a media center, or an embedded computer to be used as a control
system.
This chapter provides some pointers for different ways of using your Raspberry Pi and details some
resources available to you for programming the Raspberry Pi and making use of it in interesting ways
around the home.
Linux Resources
The Raspberry Pi is, of course, one of many computers that runs Linux. You will find useful
information in most books on Linux; in particular, look for books that relate to the distribution you are

using, which for Raspbian will be Debian.
Aside from the File Manager and applications that require further explanation, you’ll want to know
more about using the Terminal and configuring Linux. A useful book in this area is The Linux
Command Line: A Complete Introduction, by William E. Shotts, Jr. Many good resources for learning
more about Linux can be found on the Internet, so let your search engine be your friend.
Python Resources

Python is not specific to the Raspberry Pi, and you can find many books and Internet resources
devoted to it. For a gentle introduction to Python, you might want to pick up Python: Visual
QuickStart Guide, by Toby Donaldson. It’s similar to this book in style, but provides a different
perspective. Also, it’s written in a friendly, reassuring manner. If you want something a bit more
meaty, but still essentially a beginner’s text, consider Python Programming: An Introduction to
Computer Science, by John Zelle.
When it comes to learning more about Pygame, you’ll find Beginning Game Development with
Python and Pygame, by Will McGugan, to be quite helpful.
Finally, here are some good web resources for Python you’ll probably want to add to your browser’s
favorites list:
• http://docs.python.org/py3k/ The official Python site, complete with useful tutorials and
reference material.
• www.pythonware.com/library/tkinter/introduction/ A useful reference for Tkinter.
• http://zetcode.com/gui/tkinter/layout/ This tutorial sheds some much needed light on laying
out widgets in Tkinter.
• www.pygame.org The official Pygame site. It contains news, tutorials, reference material, and

sample code.
Raspberry Pi Resources
The official website of the Raspberry Pi Foundation is www.raspberrypi.org. This website contains a
wealth of useful information, and it’s the place to find announcements relating to happenings in the
world of Raspberry Pi.
The forums are particularly useful when you are looking for the answer to some knotty problem.

You can search the forum for information from others who have already tried to do what you are
trying to do, you can post questions, or you can just show off what you’ve done to the community.
When you’re looking to update your Raspberry Pi distribution image, this is probably the best place to
turn. The downloads page lists the distributions currently in vogue.
The Raspberry Pi even has its own online magazine, wittily named The MagPi. This is a free PDF
download (www.themagpi.com) and contains a good mixture of features and “how-to” articles that