[Pythonmac-SIG] Getting started with Python on a Mac.

[Kurt Marek]

I took a class on Python and OOP in grad school a year ago. The class 
was geared toward UNIX and Windows and I did all of my coding in IDLE 
on X. I'm running Jaguar now and am quite confused about some of the 
Mac-specific and OSX-specific issues of running Python. I'll try to 
distill my confusion down into a few basic questions.

1) I would like to use an IDLE setup. What's the best way to accomplish 
this on OSX?
2) Since I am just learning Python, I would like my learning 
'experience' (and my code) to be as compatible as possible with other 
platforms so that I will be comfortable switching to another platform. 
Specifically, what are the issues surrounding Tcl/TK, IDLE on OSX, etc. 
Reading these threads makes things seem pretty confusing to a beginner.
3) Is there a book or a web site geared toward beginning Python 
programming on OSX so I don't have to bug you guys? :) The docs don't 
seem to have been updated for OSX and a google search hasn't returned 
anything terribly useful.

I posted a somewhat similar thread a couple months ago about the future 
of Python on OSX, but most of the answers were a bit over my head and I 
got quite discouraged trying to figure out the best way to get started. 
I've decided that the best way to learn is to just get some of these 
beginner questions answered, find a good beginner's list or resource, 
and start to work. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks,
Kurt