TRYING to like python, but...

[Brian Quinlan]

jimh wrote:
 
> I untarred, configured and built python 2.1.2.  It all seems to be
working
> fine.

You probably should take Trent's advice and just use ActivePython (even
though he's been slacking and doesn't have a 2.1.2 build yet).

>    xml.sax._exceptions.SAXReaderNotAvailable: No parsers found
> 
> Well, THAT'S helpful.

Seems like a useful error message to me.
 
> Nothing in Setup about xml.dom or xml.sax, so I assume that Setup is
ok.
> Besides, I WAS able to import and start using xml.dom.

xml.dom is written purely in Python so you aren't dependant on an
external C library. 
 
> So I get online and start searching around for this error message.
Find
> some vague references to needing "expat" (whatever that is).  

Expat is a C library for XML parsing. It was written my James Clark, who
claims that it is the fastest parser in the world.

> Ok, I remember vaguely something about expat in Setup, so I go back to
> Setup and see that TO USE A STANDARD PYTHON LIBRARY, I need to
DOWNLOAD
> ADDITIONAL code (expat) from SOME PLACE ELSE.

The problem is that expat is not a project run by the crew at
PythonLabs; it's a third-party product. I think that you will find this
to be the case with all scripting languages (it certainly is with
Perl/PHP/Tcl).

Maybe someone (not volunteering) should try to provide binaries for
novice Linux users?

> So I ./configure again, and Make again, and, guess what??? IT STILL
> DOESN'T WORK!!!  (xmlparse.h: no such file).

Do you look for that file? Is it where you expected it to be?

> To be honest, if python is really this difficult to use, I am going to
try
> something different.

Why don't you try something different and then tell us if it was easier
or not.

Cheers,
Brian