[Pythonmac-SIG] Mac User Python Newbies

[Bob Ippolito]

On Feb 15, 2005, at 5:48, Michael Hudson wrote:

> Louis Pecora <pecora at anvil.nrl.navy.mil> writes:
>
>> Michael Hudson wrote:
>>
>>> Well, I think this is a subjective judgement -- a matter of
>>> familiarity.  I "play" with Python all the time.  A good start is to
>>> enhance your interactive experience somewhat.  Three options spring 
>>> to
>>> mind:
>>>
>>> 1) Get readline support working.  If you're still using Apple's
>
> [...]
>
>>> 2) Install IPython (http://ipython.scipy.org/).  This is a massive
>
> [...]
>
>>> 3) Install (my) PyRepl package (http://codespeak.net/pyrpl/), which
>>>    is a different implementation of the same kind of thing.
>>>
>>> There are less terminal oriented interactive environments too -- I
>>> think wxPython includes one and PyObjC has a 'PyInterpreter' example.
>>> But to me they don't hold much advantage over the in-Terminal.app
>>> solutions.
>>>
>>
>> Well, I can just see Troy sitting at his computer reading the above
>> and saying, "I rest my case."  :-)
>
> It's all a bit unixy, yes.  OTOH, it's not exactly hard and you only
> have to do it once...
>
>> You did somewhat admit that in (1) above and in the remainder of your
>> message so you are honest about the state of affairs.  And I thank you
>> for all the information.  Now, where to start?  Where to start?
>
> I don't know.  If I did know, I'd probably have done it.  It would
> help if Apple shipped Python with readline support enabled, for
> starters.

I think it's a licensing issue, Apple is probably trying to save people 
(themselves?) from linking against GPL stuff without realizing the 
implications.  If Python could use BSD libedit instead of GNU readline, 
of if it just included PyRepl, it would not be a problem.

-bob