[Tutor] Total Newbie with IDLE issues...

[binary_star]

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Hello, World! I just recently began teaching myself Python. Python will
be---realistically speaking---my first programming language (at the age of
35). Although I have been exposed to programming via Visual Basic (yes, yes,
/I know/), and "looked at" Java and PERL, I have quickly come to believe
that Python offers the best path for me to learn programming on. It's OO,
it's structured without being unnecessarily rigid, and it's named after
Monty Python. Who could ask for more? Anyway....

I am learning Python on Mac OS X (10.1.3). I downloaded and installed Python
2.2 via Fink. Please don't think for one instant that I know squat about
*nix systems; I am a Windoze vict... er, veteran... um.... I'm surprised I
got Python up and running at all. I can run Python at the command line via
interpreter or script file (I use NANO) without a hitch. However---long
story short---I receive the following error when I try to run Idle:

-=----------------------------------------=-

Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "/sw/lib/python2.2/Tools/idle/idle.py", line 4, in ?
     PyShell.main()
   File "/sw/lib/python2.2/Tools/idle/PyShell.py", line 747, in main
     root = Tk(className="Idle")
   File "/sw/lib/python2.2/lib-tk/Tkinter.py", line 1487, in __init__
     self.tk = _tkinter.create(screenName, baseName, className)
TclError: no display name and no $DISPLAY environment variable

-=----------------------------------------=-

Also, the internal "Help" files/documentation appear to be AWOL.

I don't know if there's any way to just fix these issues (or at least the
first one!), short of waving a dead parrot over the computer. I would very
much appreciate any assistance.

Thank you!


Sincerely,
'.'M.'.


PS: The online tutorial I am happily using to teach myself Python is
_How_to_Think_like_a_Computer_Scientist_, which I found here:
http://www.ibiblio.org/obp/thinkCSpy/ .


  NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief
  weapon is surprise .... surprise and fear .... fear
  and surprise .... Our two weapons are fear and
  surprise .... and ruthless efficiency .... Our
  three weapons are fear, surprise and ruthless
  efficiency .... and an almost fanatical devotion to
  the Pope .... Our four .... no .... Amongst our
  weapons .... Amongst our weaponry .... are such
  elements as fear, surprise .... I'll come in again.
  ( The Spanish Inquisition EXITS)