new python install

[Tim Chase]

monkeys paw wrote:
> Upon invoking python, it hangs
> until Ctrl^C is typed, and then the
>  >>> interactive shell begins.
> 
> Like so:
> 
> joemoney% python
> Python 2.4.6 (#1, Dec 13 2009, 23:45:11) [C] on sunos5
> Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
> # Hangs ^^^ at this point until ^C is typed
> ^C
> 
>  >>>
> 
> I've seen this in other new installs and wondered if there is
> a common problem that would cause this? It's on a sun os box

Though I've never seen such live, perhaps you have some sort of 
site-wide or user-specific config file such as ~/.pythonrc.py or 
a site-wide site.py file.  You can read up a bit at

   http://docs.python.org/library/site.html
   http://docs.python.org/library/user.html

I believe the way to test this is to start Python with either the 
-s or -S option (or both) to disable looking for user or site 
modules.  Also check if you have some crazy value set for 
$PYTHONSTARTUP.

   http://docs.python.org/using/cmdline.html#cmdoption-S

My guess is that something in one of these places is triggering 
the hang until you kill that with a ^C after which you get the 
requested prompt.

Hope this helps,

-tkc