[Pythonmac-SIG] Mac-Python Vs Apple Python history

[Paul Sargent]

Hi all,

I'm trying to get my head around some bits and pieces to do with how 
python has developed on the Mac platform. This is to help dealing with 
old tutorials and other documents which describe how to do things on an 
older installation and haven't been updated for 10.3 (which is what I'm 
running)

Now as I understand it (and from here on out, please correct me if I've 
got it wrong, that way I can check see if my understanding is correct) 
Apple didn't ship Python until 10.2. When they did this, they missed 
out some bits (headers, or dynamic libraries or something?) which meant 
that their installation was limited in what it could do (extra modules 
couldn't be installed?) Therefore, on 10.2, despite there being a 
python installation in 
/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.2, Mac-Python 
for 10.2 consists of a full python installation which is installed into 
/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.3.

Net result was that two versions of python were installed on a 10.2 
machine.

Correct so far? How was the system told which version of python should 
be used?

Now with 10.3, Apple included the missing bits(?). Therefore Mac-Python 
was able to just add things on without problems. This makes the 
Mac-Python for 10.3 install mainly consist of the package manager and 
basic modules.

Net result, on a 10.3 machine only one version of python is installed 
and that's in /System/Library/Frameworks/...etc....

Therefore, as someone trying to learn on 10.3, whenever I see documents 
talking about files in /Library/Frameworks I should substitute 
/System/Library/Frameworks. Right?

Of course, Mac-Python modules such as Numeric, or PyObjC are not system 
components so paths to those on both systems are /Library/Python.

Is my understanding anywhere close to reality? Are we likely to need to 
go back to the 10.2 scheme in the future when newer versions of python 
appear?

Thanks

Paul
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