Exploratory Programming for the Arts and Humanities (eBook)

A new edition of a book for anyone who wants to learn programming to explore and create, with exercises and projects to help readers learn by doing.This book introduces programming to readers involved with the arts and humanities; there are no prerequisites, and no previous knowledge of programming is assumed. Nick Montfort reveals programming to be not merely a technical exercise within given constraints but a tool for sketching, brainstorming, and inquiry. He emphasizes programming's exploratory potential-its facility to create new kinds of artworks and to probe data for new ideas. The book is designed to be read alongside the computer, allowing readers to program while making their way through the chapters. It offers practical exercises in writing and modifying code and outlines "e;free projects"e; that allow learners to pursue their own interests.This second edition has been reorganized and expanded to allow more modular use while also offering a better experience for readers who wish to go through all the chapters. It provides many more exercises, especially early on, to help learners build a foundation of basic knowledge, and it offers new free projects. A new chapter on classification allows learners to understand machine learning through programming and across different types of media. This edition also includes new illustrations that support an understanding of essential concepts in programming as well as a significantly expanded glossary. The book uses Python and Processing, and has been updated from Python 2 to Python 3.