[Pythonmac-SIG] Python 2.2b1 on OS X

[Jack Jansen]

> Okay, I've finally got an OS X partition on my laptop and have run 
> the installer for Python 2.2b1.

I smell confusion here. For OS X there are two distinct Python's:
- MacPython, which comes with an installer, and is essentially the same
  as MacPython on OS 9.
- OS X command line Python (which I tend to also refer to as MachoPython)
  which comes as a tar file with sources for you to compile.

For the time being the two are very different beasts. There are converging, 
but a lot of work remains to be done. They also live in pretty different 
"universes": MacPython has access to all the MacOS windowing, dialog, 
quicktime, etc code, MachoPython less so (for now). MacPython  uses Mac-style 
colon:separated:pathnames, MachoPython /standard/unix/pathnames. They also use 
different low-level runtime architectures (MacOS9-style CFM for MacPython,
the new Mach-O for MachoPython).

> The installer seemed to run fine but when I ran the tests, it crashed 
> when it hit the socket test (I was not connected at the time).  Note 
> that this was running Python by double-clicking the icon.

That's normal, both in MacPYthon and in MachoPython.

> I wondered whether the tests would run better if performed from a 
> terminal window but the installer doesn't seem to do a setup for 
> command-line use.  I suspect I need to do a 'ln -s' on something to 
> somewhere, but what?

This seems to suggest you use MacPython. And for MacPython there is no 
commandline, see the comment above.

> Also, I understand Apple was involved in getting the latest Tcl/Tk 
> ported to OS X.  How does this impact Tkinter running natively under 
> OS X?  Would it be a 'drop-in' installation or is everyone just 
> waiting for wxPython to be ready for prime time?

Well, "drop in" is a bit too easy, but there is work being done to get Tkinter 
working in MachoPython, Tony Lownds is looking at it.

> I've dealt with Unix as a user, but never as an admin.  This strange 
> creature arising from the merger of Unix and MacOS will take some 
> getting used to.

Don't worry, in another year or so most programs will be "Unix Inside", but as 
a Mac-head you'll never notice, because all developers (including us:-) will 
have worked out how to do the .app magic and such.
--
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