Maybe I should start running Python workshops in Covent Garden

PS: I’ve been having a short break. Normal service will resume soon on The Python Coding Stack

This is what’s missing with technical publications. Most people expect to read for free. So few choose to pay, even though there’s the same mastery, the same experience and professionalism, the same value as that provided by today’s street performer.

…

But many didn’t. They walked up to him and paid some money. Not small change—real money. I sent my son with a £10 note. There were five of us and we were entertained for about half an hour. I feel I underpaid.

Why do so many pay for a free show? There’s the expectation that you should pay.

…

Yet, he performed in a free setting. People could watch the whole show and then walk away.

And many did.

…

I just paid £10 for a free show—and I feel I underpaid

I was doing the tourist trail in London with a visitor. We watched a street performer in Covent Garden.

He was good. He clearly was a master at his trade. Experienced. Professional.

…

There's never been a better time to learn core Python.

Sure, AI is writing code for us now. But you still need to
understand it,
review it,
guide the AI to what you really want

English is great but can be ambiguous.
A glance at the Python code…

/1

OK - I've taken the plunge (finally, some will say). I set up OpenClaw. Burnt through quite a few tokens today but I feel I made progress and I can start to see where it's going…

…and now I see why people go for a decent computer and open models…

Sounds interesting, but here’s my honest answer. I’m a newbie and I’m aware of the risks linked to OpenClaw. So I want to stay in charge of as much as possible for now. I’m not in a position to assess how much to trust third party software that’s not been tried and tested by the community

OK - I've taken the plunge (finally, some will say). I set up OpenClaw. Burnt through quite a few tokens today but I feel I made progress and I can start to see where it's going…

…and now I see why people go for a decent computer and open models…

What’s your favourite “Getting Started” resource for effectively using OpenClaw?

I’ve got some catching up to do…

There are two types of people today:

• Those who are learning Python
• Those who think it’s no longer necessary

We can’t know which one of them is right.

But I’m in no doubt which one is taking the bigger risk…

…helps you ensure the AI understood your requirements, or quickly steer it in the right direction.

Python fundamentals take you further today than they ever did in the past.

Beware of skipping the basics…

There's never been a better time to learn core Python.

Sure, AI is writing code for us now. But you still need to
understand it,
review it,
guide the AI to what you really want

English is great but can be ambiguous.
A glance at the Python code…

/1

By the way, can you guess how many slides I use in an eight-week course, with 3.5 hours of live teaching each week?

A few more:

"Content, professionalism of presentation, structure, the charisma and skill of our live instructor were all absolutely first-rate, world class."

"Our instructor was flat out one of the best teachers I've encountered"

...

There are two types of people today:

• Those who are learning Python
• Those who think it’s no longer necessary

We can’t know which one of them is right.

But I’m in no doubt which one is taking the bigger risk…

By the way, can you guess how many slides I use in an eight-week course, with 3.5 hours of live teaching each week?

"Stephen's ability to explain complex ideas and structures clearly and always sympathetically, without any condescension was inspirational."

A few more:

"Content, professionalism of presentation, structure, the charisma and skill of our live instructor were all absolutely first-rate, world class."

"Our instructor was flat out one of the best teachers I've encountered"

...

Join me for this Intermediate Deep Dive Course–starting in May.
Any questions, just ask…

AI raises the floor for Python developers. It doesn't raise the ceiling.

The ceiling is yours to raise: realpython.com/workshops/in...

…but not everyone dislikes vegetables

"Shiny New Toy Syndrome" isn't about shifting focus to the new thing but about completely abandoning the old thing…

We see a lot of shiny new toy syndrome at the moment…

I'm normally more reserved, but…

feedback started coming in and I can't help sharing some ego-boosting (inflating?) feedback

"Stephen is great, I would enjoy any live courses he taught"

"Stephen was great. Very knowledgeable and able to adapt to questions as they arose. Absolutely excellent"

Had you noticed how the more common modern-day use of "milestone" marks a past event but the original meaning points to a future destination.

I prefer to foward-looking milestones.

2. Milestone (noun) • a significant stage or event in the development of something. (Oxford Dictionary (UK) via Apple Dictionary)

…

Milestone (1) and Milestone (2) • Dictionary definitions:

1. Milestone (noun) • a stone set up beside a road to mark the distance in miles to a particular place. (Oxford Dictionary (UK) via Apple Dictionary)

…

Here's what these three years look like (on one of the metrics, not necessarily the most important one, either)

3 • 7600 • 33 • 121 • When Python Stacks Up When I was a child, I used to pace up and down the corridor at home pretending to teach an imaginary group of people.

Happy Birthday to The Python Coding Stack. Three Great Years:
3 • 7600 • 33 • 121 • When Python Stacks Up
www.thepythoncodingstack.com/p/when-pytho...

It's the 3-year anniversary of The Python Coding Stack in a month's time…

…should I bake a cake?

Sure, there are publications with tens or hundreds of thousands of readers. But I'm pleased that nearly 7,000 people like my quirky writing and unconventional perspectives