[Tutor] trouble understanding the python environment in OSX

[Clay Wiedemann]

Hi,

I am not only new to Python, but new to programming in an environment
like this, where knowing a little of how the underpinning work is
essential.*

I am running the latest OSX (10.4.8) and know a little about moving
about in the terminal. But the world of paths, etc. has me a little
confused. And now it is getting in my way. I was wondering if I could
get a little help with some things.

- Can anyone point me to a well-regarded and pithy tutorial regarding
the UNIX underpinnings of OSX, especially anything that would help
with Python. (e.g., I can navigate to Python.framework and versions
but see 2.5 and Current, which confuses me since 2.5 is the current
version.) I would love to know what the structure of the Python
installation means.

- I am having trouble installing the BeautifulSoup package. The
installer stumbles on a unicode issue (that the Soup developer says is
a problem with my Python installation) -- so what is the best way to
manually install this? And does the 2.5 / Current divide matter?



Thanks in advance for any help with these basic issues.

Good morning from Brooklyn,
Clay


* Any experience with coding webpages is not helping here



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Clay S. Wiedemann

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