Is Python a

Python installation details vary by platform, and are covered in more depth inAppendix A. In short:• Windows users fetch and run a self-installing executable file that puts Python ontheir machines. Simply double-click and say Yes or Next at all prompts.• On Windows Vista, you may need to take extra steps to use the Python 2.5 MSIinstaller file; see Appendix A for more details.• Linux and Mac OS X users probably already have a usable Python preinstalledon their computers—it’s a standard component on these platforms today.• Some Linux users (and most Unix users) typically either install Python fromRPM files, or compile it from its full source code distribution package.• Other platforms have installation techniques relevant to those platforms. Forinstance, Python is also available on cell phones, game consoles, and iPods, butthe installation details vary too widely to cover here.Python itself may be fetched from the downloads page at Python’s web site. It mayalso be found through various other distribution channels. Keep in mind that youshould always check to see whether Python is already present before installing it. Ifyou’re working on Windows, you’ll usually find Python in the Start menu, as capturedin Figure 2-1 (these menu options are discussed in the next chapter). On Unixand Linux, Python probably lives in your /usr directory tree.Figure 2-1. When installed on Windows, this is how Python shows up in your Start button menu.This can vary a bit from release to release, but IDLE starts a development GUI, and Python startsa simple interactive session. Also, here are the standard manuals, and the Pydoc documentationengine (Module Docs).Introducing the Python Interpreter | 23