[Pythonmac-SIG] My stab at a new page

[Bob Ippolito]

On Feb 10, 2006, at 10:44 AM, Bill Janssen wrote:

>>> A good entry page tries to speak usefully to all of these  
>>> communities
>>> at the same time, without speaking down to any of them.
>>
>> Do you really think that there is a large enough audience that would
>> be willing to read pages of documentation, but not be willing to
>> install anything?
>
> No.  That's why the *first* page is so important.  That's why I put
> the example of the terminal and "type 'python'" on there.
>
>> I also think that if we give people the option to use Python without
>> installing anything, then they'll choose that option and be
>> disappointed because the experience with a newer version has a few
>> years more polish and bug fixes... and can simply get them farther
>> because it doesn't have any of the limitations that the pre-installed
>> one has.
>
> Not for Python newbies.  They've never *seen* the more advanced
> versions.  Python 2.3 all by itself is a pretty nifty programming
> experience, to someone who's not a developer, but wants to write a
> script or a simple program.  Experienced Python users will of course
> probably want to install the newer version first.

Yes, but someone who wants to write a script or a simple program and  
isn't a developer doesn't imply that they're a terminal jockey.  If  
we get them a double-clickable installer that gets them at least  
IDLE, then they're set and they don't have to learn UNIX in the process.

>> With a downloadable package that sorts out all the issues that need
>> to be documented, then we would be able to skirt the whole issue of
>> the UNIX crash course.  Download this package, double-click to
>> install, double-click to start IDLE (or whatever) here.
>
> I agree.  If the 2.4.x installer were bundled with TigerPython24Fix
> and some quick-start IDLE app into a single installer, that would be
> great, and an improvement over the current situation.  (And could it
> please *not* have the word "fix" in the title?)

It *is* a fix, which is no longer necessary with the current branch  
(or if built on 2.4).  Also, the installer has always had IDLE.app.

>> Another thing to consider would be to do something similar to Movable
>> Python:
>> http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/movpy/
>>
>> In this case we would distribute Python as an application, and that
>> application when run by itself could have options to "make this
>> Python the default from Terminal" or something.
>
> I like this idea, too.  Can we make it happen?  Any volunteers?

I'd look into it after we get universal framework build with current  
conventions out the door.

-bob