[Pythonmac-SIG] a beginner's list

[Chris Porter]

I'm afraid this criticism is spot on. I got a python program from a programmer.
I want to run it on my Mac. And here, Mac comes with Python! Very nice.
That shouldn't be downplayed. All I needed was the Python that was already 
installed, plus a couple added things. (I needed Python to talk to MySQL, and
that I had to install MySQL, so there was likely no native ability to do so on
the Mac I've got.)

So the Python I'm using is Mac's own, and it runs my programmer's code
lickety split. From a few hours frustrated search on the web, to a couple 
of posts on this list and a few minutes installing libraries and ... stuff, and
that's all it took to get me to be a "Python user" (yes, I can hear my programmer
snorting from here). A nice web page with something like all the suggestions
below, and also a way to use the Python installed would be both enticing and useful. 

Maybe something about "If your goal is...
to create programs, see here.
to run programs, see here.
to have Python interact with other programs on your Mac, see here.
to install new versions, see here.
to update your version, see here.
to add special libraries, see here.

For neat programs or utilities that help you use Python on your Mac...
A List of jargon...
(what's a library? IDE? those strange letters in front of Python? a fix? a framework? an egg?)



> Charles, I love the fact that you've taken the time to think through
> this!  Hurrah!
> 
> However...
> 
> > Somebody who comes idly to the idea of programming in Python, and  
> > finds the pythonmac page, will be happy if the result is an  
> > afternoon's work that ends in a "hello world," possibly in a window.  
> > Using my own arbitrary preferences, that would entail:
> > 
> > 1. downloading & installing Bob's framework
> > 2. downloading & installing TigerPython24Fix
> > 3. adding /usr/local/bin to the PATH
> > 4. downloading & installing wxPython
> > 5. downloading & installing [fill in name of IDE]
> > 6. starting to browse how-to-program sites and writing some bits
> 
> 
> I think this is a wonderful example of the mindset that's wrong with
> the current situation.  An afternoon's work?  Who would want to do
> that just to fool around, when Python is *pre-installed* on the Mac?
> 
> Who wants to open windows?  Why is a GUI automatically necessary?
> 
> And if it is, all you need is already there on 10.4, in three minutes:
> 
> 1)  Click on Applications/Utilities/Terminal.
> 
> 2)  In the terminal window, enter the following line:
> 
> % pythonw
> 
> 3)  You will see a prompt ">>>".  At the prompt, enter the following line:
> 
> >>> print "Hello, World!"
> 
> and you will see "Hello, World!" written back to you.
> 
> 4)  To do this in a window, enter the following lines at the ">>>" prompt:
> 
> >>> import wx
> >>> app = wx.PySimpleApp()
> >>> frame = wx.Frame(None, -1, "Hello World").Show(1)
> >>> app.MainLoop()
> 
> That's it!
> 
> Maybe with a pointer to the wxPythonWiki getting started page (which I
> stole this code from):
> 
> http://wiki.wxpython.org/index.cgi/Getting_20Started#head-bc009992ceb90dddb7eb3db953e25d1792da2cdd
> 
> *Don't* deprecate the Apple pre-installed Python!  Rejoice in it!  And
> then hint that even better things are available in 2.4.x...
> 
> Once a newbie decides to get serious about Python, *then* they can
> think about upgrading their installation.
> 
> Bill
> _______________________________________________
> Pythonmac-SIG maillist  -  Pythonmac-SIG at python.org
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pythonmac-sig