You don't have to do this to get started. This only became necessary because the person installed a non-official Python release. Stick with the default version Apple ships and it is indeed simple--one need do none of this. I understand the frustration and confusion over having to delve into some of the technical details regarding command search ordering, but every operating system solves the problem in a technical way (even Windows) although it is transparent to the average user when it gives the expected results. Installing two version of Microsoft Words on Windows will cause the same problem--one has to be set to be the default and the other will take a little or even a lot of work to run. Microsoft will try to prevent two versions from being installed to avoid this problem. In fact, Windows annoys me often when launching non-Microsoft applications to ask if I wouldn't rather have Microsoft's application set as the default. In this case Microsoft is trying to keep the command searching straight for you--but only because these are end-user applications that are launched transparently without the command line. Microsoft WIndows provides no help when looking for commands from the DOS Shell either. In fact, there is a lot more information available on UNIX for free than for the inner working of WIndows. As for Apple and Python: Apple supports Python just fine-only one version of Python comes installed and it is always found from the command line. By installing 2.4, a user has installed a non-Apple-official version so the user has to take responsibility for setting it up properly. Apple has a rigorous testing process and releases software when they are ready for fully support it for their environment. Because 2.3 is the official Apple version, the creators of the 2.4 binary package did not want to overwrite 2.3 and assume the liability for the users system. Imagine how much more frustrated you'd be if that happened and then something broke? If one wants to 'push' the metaphorical envelope and run a non-official version of Python, one must accept the risk that one may make mistakes and also take on the additional burden of educating oneself to avoid problems. There is an assumption that when one is using development tools, one knows a bit more of the technical details on using the operating system. If one doesn't understand the PATH environment variable, then the concept of site-packages and module scope and precedence and searching fundamental to Python will be lost as well--they are very similar. There are many informative, well-written tutorials out on the web one can use to learn about the UNIX environment, the BASH shell and it is easy to create an environment where one can run both 2.3 and 2.4 safely. take a deep breath and devote 15 minutes to reading one. It will benefit you greatly I promise. Many Python books also describe setting up one's environment. But no one is forcing you to. If the added effort is not to your liking, I'd suggest you stay with 2.3 and keep it simple. But don't blame Python, Apple, or the great group of folks here who unselfishly keep Mac Python going. Daniel Lord Intro to Shell variables and path: http://heather.cs.ucdavis.edu/~matloff/UnixAndC/Unix/ShellIntro.html Learn about these commands: which, echo $PATH, alias |
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