[Pythonmac-SIG] Installing Pygame

[arthamax at sbcglobal.net]

I am using a Mac PPC with Tiger 10.4.11 and I recently downloaded and  
installed Python 2.6.2. and I am having difficulties getting started.

I purchased "Python Programming, 2nd Ed. for the absolute beginner"  
by Michael Dawson because he uses games to teach programming and the  
book got great reviews at Amazon.com.

When I opened the CD that came with the Python book I could not open  
the software (Pygame, Livewires, etc.) and I could find no reference  
to Mac or Windows unless it was in the file names which I don't know.

I went to the Pygame website
http://www.pygame.org/download.shtml
"Macintosh" to download Pygame

"These are packages for the python from python.org, not the system  
python. These packages work with OSX 10.3.9 upwards.
# pygame-1.8.1release-py2.5-macosx10.5.zip
# pygame-1.8.1release-py2.4-macosx10.5.zip
# pyobjc-1.4-py2.5-macosx10.4.mpkg.zip - pyobjc is needed for OSX  
10.3, 10.4, and 10.5."

and for the first time using this Mac I couldn't install anything.  
All three installation attempts ended with a red exclamation point  
over the Macintosh HD icon and a button saying "Go Back." The  
"Continue" button was grayed out.

In the Pygame Readme it says,

Installation
You should definitely begin by installing a binary package for your  
system. The binary packages usually come with or give the information  
needed for dependencies. Choose an appropriate installer for your  
system and version of python from the pygame downloads page. http:// 
www.pygame.org/download.shtml

I don't know what a "binary package" is or where to get one. Nor do I  
know what "dependencies" are. Apparently I have a lot to learn before  
I can even start to learn programming through games – my ambitions  
have greatly exceeded my present capabilities. Any assistance  
regarding this matter would be greatly appreciated. If there's a  
better or more useful place to post this message please let me know.

Thank you.

P.S. I like the idea of learning programming through games so much  
that I also purchased Dawson's highly rated book "Beginning C++  
Through Game Programming, 2nd Ed" which I haven't looked at yet. I  
don't want to open the CD in case I have to send both books back to  
Amazon.com which I don't really want to do. Has anyone here used  
Michael Dawson's books and can they be made to work on a Mac? Thanks  
again.

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