[Edu-sig] Now I went and did it!

[David Scherer]

> I'd like to try this, but I'm concerned about how well it will coexist
> with the other Python installations on my Windows NT 4 machine.  I've
> got:
>
>      Python 1.6, for general Python use.
>      Python ? as installed as a component of Alice 99.
>      Python 1.5.? as installed as a component of Zope 2.2.2.
>
> Will VisualPython work in that environment without interfering with
> those other Python instances?
>
> I'm not enthused about installing Yet Another Python and dealing with
> its quirks.  Do you have any plans to distribute Visual Python as an
> extension to Python 1.6 or 2.0, rather than as a completely separate
> product?

The 'visual' module is available separately as a ZIP from the download page
(http://cil.andrew.cmu.edu/projects/visual/download.html).  You need to put
in on the python path of the Python you intend to use it with, you will need
Numerical Python (http://numpy.sourceforge.net/) as well, and if you want to
use an IDE you will need the upgraded IDLE
(http://sourceforge.net/projects/idlefork).

The VPython installer is a convenience for people who don't already have N
versions of Python installed (for example, try installing all of those
components manually on 30 machines in a computer lab :).  It reduces the
frequency of installation problems, and also makes it much easier for us to
help people with problems, since they have a homogenous setup.

Dave