How to obtain the book for class

We will use the 3rd edition of Python Programming in Context, by B. N. Miller, D. L. Ranum, Jones & Bartlett Learning (ISBN: 9781284175554). It is the latest edition and has the latest features of the python programming language. Accessing the book is important because we will have regular reading quizzes based on the book.

Ask a friend

Did you have a friend that took this class last semester? Are they willing to loan you their book, or to sell it to you at a discount price? (Note: 3rd edition has been the recommendation since Fall 2021, whereas the 2nd edition was used prior).

Bookstore / Amazon: physical copy ($)

For those that prefer a physical copy - consider buying used. See the Wilson Bookstore or Amazon, for example.

You can use this for free with your College of Wooster account. However, only 3 people enrolled in CS 100 can access it at the same moment in time. The online format doesn’t look as nice as a physical copy does, but it’s free! Here is how you access the 3rd edition via OhioLink:

  1. Go to The College of Wooster Libraries: https://wooster.edu/library/

  2. Type in the “Consort Catalog” search box the phrase “Python Programming in Context”, and select “Search”.

  3. You will see a few books pop up. We want the latest one (at the time of writing, it shows year 2021), which will be the 3rd edition. Click “View available access options at Wooster”.

  4. This will take you to a website which appears as follows. You can then click the “Read Online” button. Note that you will not be able to download a PDF of the book, but you can access it online this way.

O’Reilly Safari Learning Platform (formerly Safari Tech Books): digital 2nd edition (free)

As noted earlier, we will use the 3rd edition because it is newer. However, the 2nd and 3rd edition are very close for the first few chapters (chapters 1, 2, 3, 4). There are significant differences in the latest version of python which is covered in the 3rd edition as it pertains to string formatting, file input/output, and module usage among other things.

So, if you are having trouble accessing the 3rd edition, this is an excellent back-up option. Here is how you access the 2nd edition via O’Reilly Safari Learning Platform (formerly Safari Tech Books).

  1. Go to The College of Wooster Science and Technology eBooks: https://libguides.wooster.edu/c.php?g=123919&p=811186

  2. Click the link where it says “O’Reilly Safari Learning Platform (formerly Safari Tech Books)”.

  3. In the search bar at the top, type in “Python Programming in Context” and press enter.

  4. Many titles will appear. On this website, only the 2nd edition of this book is available, so that is what you’ll look for. Click on the title “Python Programming in Context, 2nd edition”.

  5. Open the book using the big red button.

  6. The navigation is a little weird. Make sure you use the arrows on the top left/right in order to move to the previous/next chapter.