I have been learning Python for a few weeks now and here is a list of some essential links and tutorials for beginners. You would probably find these just by poking around Python’s site and Googling, but I thought they were helpful so some linkage is in order.

Dive Into Python
Python Tutorial
How to Think Like a Computer Scientist
Learn to Program
Python Types and Objects
Python 2.4 Quick Reference (latest version is 2.5, but in Ubuntu the default in the repositories is 2.4 - you can get it by looking for python2.5 - there’s a big difference between the two).
Python Frequently Asked Questions
Python Library Reference
Python Reference Manual
Python SOAP Libraries
Python Style Guide
Python Unicode Tutorial
Python Regular Expression HOWTO
Selected Python Articles
Python Database Topic Guide
Python Cookbook

I hope these links will help you as much as they helped me.

Especially dapper testers:

https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu

If you want to build from source, the site will list the needed dependencies. Find and report bugs there. It is as necessary to look at as the Ubuntu Forums. I finally got mplayer to work and skin by using the information available here.

This is an interesting site for us Ubuntu users: behindubuntu.org. It’s going to feature interviews with the people behind making Ubuntu. They only have one interview on there right now, Jonathan Riddell, he works on the KDE version, Kubuntu (yech). They got some background biographical information, and some photos, like the Ubuntu conference room:

High tech! The people who work on Ubuntu do a fantastic job, I’m glad to get to know them better. The idea is based on ‘The People Behind KDE.’ [via]

, has a new feature. At least I think it’s new: forward and next buttons. With it you can create a mighty powerful browsing experience. The thing I’ve always loved about Google’s toolbar is how you can seamlessly integrate it with the rest of the browser’s customization. You don’t need to use the extra horizontal bar, you can turn it off and the drag the buttons to a bar you already have open, and thus save valuable vertical screen space:

And now with the ‘forward and next button’ along with the ‘I’m feeling lucky’ button you can find the results you want from search without having to stare at line after line of mind-numbing plain text results.
Here’s my secret:
Customize the Google Tool bar so that you have the ‘I’m feeling lucky’ and the ‘forward and next’ buttons visible. Click a term search such as ‘‘ in the search box. First, this important, click the regular ol’ Google button (the G). Don’t look at the results, now click ‘I’m feeling lucky’, now just click forward and next to browse the different search results! If you searched for ‘Color Tool’ you’ll come to my Color Tool with just a few clicks of the ‘next’ button! Note, you have to click that G first for some reason, or else it wont work.

I’ve been playing with some JavaScript libraries like prototype, moo.fx and, script.aculo.us. They all use the MIT license, which is free. It’s all very cross-browser compliant and each comes with nice AJAX tools and create some nice dynamic effects. Both moo.fx and script.aculo.us require the prototype library, but they include that in their source.

Here’s a little toy I made playing around with script.alicio.us.

I haven’t written for a while, I’m busy with library school and the end of the semester is approaching so I don’t have a lot of time. I did create some wallpapers for Ubuntu. The Ubuntu trademark policy allows the use of the logo for wallpapers. They’re really basic, but I think some people may like them.

Check them out:
(Hover over the picture for a description and size info)

1280 x 960

1152 x 864

1280 x 960

1152 x 864

1280 x 960

1152 x 864

1280 x 960

1152 x 864

1280 x 960

1152 x 864

1280 x 960