Python is the language we use in the SOIL.

Getting python running:

     on a mac

     on a pc

If you want one big download that has everything, try Anaconda.

http://continuum.io/downloads

Here is my introduction.

Teach yourself online at code academy:

http://www.codecademy.com/tracks/python

Interactive ebooks on python programming

you can program in the ebooks! 

http://interactivepython.org/runestone/default/user/login?_next=/runestone/default/index

http://ice-web.cc.gatech.edu/ce21/2/Zyante.htm

http://cscircles.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/

There's a recommended free book on how to think like a Python Programmer at:

http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/

You can find other books in the series about other languages at:

http://www.greenteapress.com/

Here are other popular free books:

http://www.diveintopython.org/

http://www.curphey.com/2011/07/learn-core-python-in-a-week-my-way/

And here's another resource:

http://openbookproject.net/thinkCSpy/index.xhtml

The definitive resource is at the Python home page:

http://www.python.org/

with the most important section being the documentation at

http://www.python.org/doc/

Thanks to Sylvain Pronovost for collecting these links.

A python quick reference card can be found at 

http://www.digilife.be/quickreferences/QRC/Python%202.4%20Quick%20Reference%20Card.pdf

Performance Computing in Python