[Pythonmac-SIG] a beginner's list

[Christopher Barker]

Chris Porter wrote:
> 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.)

This is my point. You couldn't actually get anything done without 
downloading and installing _something_. Once you're doing that, it would 
have made very little difference if you had downloaded and installed a 
new version of Python as well.

However, what would have made a difference is whether or not a package 
for the MySQL lib were easily available or not. That's why whatever the 
MacPython community endorses and documents should be a version with as 
broad package support as possible. I think that's 2.4.*, rather than the 
  Apple supplied python.

In addition, if you have your code running just fine and dandy under 
Apple's python, then you upgrade to 10.5, chances are that your app will 
no longer work, as Apple is likely to yank their python out from under 
you. If it were running with a user-installed Python, chances are it 
would keep working.

-Chris


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Christopher Barker, Ph.D.
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