probs w/ building python extensions on free Microsoft.NET SDK

[Courageous]

>> I've tried unsuccessfully in the past to compile python extensions
>> using cygwin, but failed for more than one reason or the other and...

One. Get _Python Essential Reference_. It has the best guide to extending
and embedding in Python that I've ever seen.

Two. If you're fizzling around with Cygwin and GNU and can't figure it out,
please take that to the appropriate newsgroups.

Three. You've claimed to be new to C. You're going to have to learn quite
a bit about C, first. The Python documentation does not take on the task of
teaching C while it explains the extension mechanisms.

C//