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

[Frank Schima]

Hi Andrew,


On Aug 21, 2008, at 9:11 AM, Andrew Jaffe wrote:

> I know this comes up every few months, but there is never a  
> definitive answer given.
>
> The short version is: what is the best Python to use under Leopard?
>
> The longer version is: What is the best Python to use under leopard  
> if:
>   - I want to use PyObjC
>   - I want to use more recent versions of packages like numpy that  
> come installed
>   - I want to use ipython and readline
>   - I think I want to be able to use more recent versions of Python  
> (and I certainly will once 2.6 comes out).
>
> Currently I am using a framework build of 2.5.1 (since I was doing  
> so under Tiger) but this seems to be a problem for pyobjc.
>
> 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.

I can vouch for using MacPorts to do what you want. I currently use it  
for programming with the latest Python 2.5.x, numpy, scipy, ipython,  
wxpython, tkinter, pmw and many more add-ons. They are all kept up to  
date and it's very easy to install and maintain (i.e. keep up to  
date). Python 3.0 (alpha) is supported and 2.6 is close to being  
added. I cannot, though, personally vouch for pyObjC in MacPorts  
because I don't use it myself - I have to support multiple platforms.  
But pyObjC is supported in MacPorts.

<http://www.macports.org/>


Cheers!
Frank Schima
Boulder, CO
schimaf at boulder.nist.gov