Where to Get Python

If there is no Python on your machine, you will need to install one yourself. The good news is that Python is an open source system that is freely available on the Web and very easy to install on most platforms.

You can always fetch the latest and greatest standard Python release from http://www.python.org, Python’s official website. Look for the Downloads link on that page, and choose a release for the platform on which you will be working. You’ll find prebuilt self-installer files for Windows (run to install), Installer Disk Images for Mac OS X (installed per Mac conventions), the full source code distribution (typically compiled on Linux, Unix, or OS X machines to generate an interpreter), and more.

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Although Python is standard on Linux these days, you can also find RPMs for Linux on the Web (unpack them with rpm). Python’s website also has links to pages where versions for other platforms are maintained, either at Python.org itself or offsite. A Google web search is another great way to find Python packages. Among other platforms, you can find Python pre-built for iPods, Palm handhelds, Nokia cell phones, PlayStation and PSP, Solaris, AS/400, and Windows Mobile.

If you find yourself pining for a Unix environment on a Windows machine, you might also be interested in installing Cygwin and its version of Python (see http://www.cygwin.com). Cygwin is a GPL-licensed library and toolset that provides full Unix functionality on Windows machines, and it includes a prebuilt Python that makes use of the all the Unix tools provided.

You can also find Python on CD-ROMs supplied with Linux distributions, included with some products and computer systems, and enclosed with some other Python books. These tend to lag behind the current release somewhat, but usually not seriously so.

In addition, you can find Python in some free and commercial development bundles. For example, ActiveState distributes Python as part of its ActivePython, a package that combines standard Python with extensions for Windows development such as PyWin32, an IDE called PythonWin (described in Chapter 3), and other commonly used extensions. Python can also be had today in the Enthought Python Distribution—a package aimed at scientific computing needs—as well as in Portable Python, preconfigured to run directly from a portable device. Search the Web for details.

Finally, if you are interested in alternative Python implementations, run a web search to check out Jython (the Python port to the Java environment) and IronPython (Python for the C#/.NET world), both of which are described in Chapter 2. Installation of these systems is beyond the scope of this book.