Is Python Mac Centric???

[Tim Peters]

[hokieghal99]
> While trying to learn more about Python's standard modules, I noticed
> that there are *a lot* of Mac only modules... more so than Unix and
> Windows specific modules combined. Is there a reason for this?

They're for the benefit of the "Mac Classic" OSes, and they exist because
Jack Jansen devoted a large part of his life to supporting those beasts.

> I am familiar with the Windows extensions by Mr. Hammond and wonder if
> they'll ever become apart of the official Python distribution.

Hard to say.  Mark likes having a release schedule independent of Python's,
and Guido hates Mark's coding style.  Both act against folding the Windows
extensions into the core.

> It looks as if something similar already exists for Macs with all
> these Mac only modules. Why is this?

Jack doesn't like having a release schedule independent of Python's, and
Guido doesn't hate Jack's coding style (Guido and Jack were coworkers at
CWI, by the way).

> Also, I've noticed that OSX 10.3 comes with Python 2.3 installed,

That was Apple's decision, not "ours".

> but that Windows XP does not.

And that's Microsoft's decision, not "ours".  We can't tell OS vendors what
to ship, and all OS vendors are equally free to redistribute Python (the
Python license extends that right to everyone who wants it).

> Python installation is much more cumbersome on Windows. The user has
> to dl Python and then Mr. Hammond's extensions to get up to speed
> with the new Macs out of the box.

I think you meant "Windows systems" rather than "Macs" there, but yes,
that's true.  Microsoft could bundle both, but they don't, and what MS ships
is solely up to MS (well, up to them and hundreds of courts all over the
globe <wink>).

> Does Python play favorites?

It tries not to.  In practice, it favors Unix-ish systems, mostly because a
large majority of Python contributors run on Unix-ish systems, and because
at least the open-source flavors of Unix-like systems are delighted to ship
all the high-quality open-source applications they can.

< I think it would have a much larger user base if Windows user got
> what mac users get.

It would, but why would Microsoft want to increase Python's user base?  They
probably see Python as a competitor to their own programming language
offerings, and they make money from the latter.

> Could someone explain this to me?

Not every company is primarily concerned with your best interests <wink>.