[Pythonmac-SIG] "Best" Mac Python under Leopard?

[Kevin Walzer]

Andrew Jaffe wrote:
>
> 
> It would also be great if there were a single place on the web where 
> this is answered; if you search -- even with this group -- you get very 
> different pieces of advice.
>

The reason you get different pieces of advice is because there is no one 
correct answer. There are too many variables involved and everyone's 
situation is diffeent.

If you are installing a bunch of Unix software that depends on Python, 
and using Fink or MacPorts to do it, you will get the Python that those 
systems install. It's because both systems build everything in their own 
sandbox to keep better control of dependencies. If you don't need Fink 
or MacPorts for one of their specific packages, I don't think there's a 
compelling reason to use them to install Python.

This leaves the standard Python.org build of Python,  Apple's system 
version of Python, or a Python you build yourself.

The standard Python.org build is the easiest. It's more up-to-date than 
Apple's, which tends to change only when a new version of OS X comes 
out. You can install/build more recent versions of various packages such 
as numpy, as you've noted.

The biggest advantage of Apple's version of Python is that, at the 
moment, it appears to play nicer with PyObjC 2.0 than anything else. 
Xcode integration seems to work well. From what I've seen, PyObjC 2.0 is 
in a state of flux outside Apple's sandbox--a lot of things, such as 
documentation, test suites and examples, are still getting updated. 
(Someone please correct me if I am wrong.)

You can always build your own version of Python as well. I do, because 
my Tkinter Python apps need to link to Tk 8.5, and the official 
Python.org build (and Apple's version) links to 8.4.

Hope this helps,
Kevin

-- 
Kevin Walzer
Code by Kevin
http://www.codebykevin.com