Why does Python never add itself to the Windows path?

[Ben Sizer]

Eric_Dexter at msn.com wrote:

> I don't seem to have any problem running python programs regardless of
> where they are.  My platform is windows xp and I have run both 2.4 and
> 2.5 more details about what version of windows you are running might be
> helpfull

I don't think the Windows version is relevant. I did point out that
this happens across different incarnations of Windows (98SE and XP the
2 I have on hand to test), and that the problem wasn't specifically
about "running python programs". Basically if you go to a command
prompt and type "python", it won't do anything on a plain Python
install on Windows. Try it on Linux, and probably Mac too, and it'll do
something useful.

Similarly, if you install a Python package that adds to the scripts
directory, you can typically expect to run those scripts from the
command line without having to use the full path - not on Windows.

-- 
Ben Sizer