On 9/20/06, Ronald Oussoren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Sep 20, 2006, at 8:25 PM, Bob Ippolito wrote: > > > On 9/20/06, Blake Winton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Bob Ippolito wrote: > >>> On 9/19/06, Robert Love <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>>> I'd like a simple explanation of what MacPython does for me and my > >>>> existing installation. I did check the FAQ but didn't see any > >>>> thing > >>>> like this. > >>> MacPython is newer and community supported. It can be used to build > >>> universal redistributable applications. Universal MacPython 2.4.3 is > >>> the safest bet right now, 2.5 just came out (today!) and there are > >>> known incompatibilities with several popular applications. There > >>> also > >>> many pre-built easy to install libraries available for 2.4: > >>> http://pythonmac.org/packages/py24-fat/ > >> > >> As a side question, why go with MacPython instead of MacPorts' > >> version > >> of Python? (I've gone with MacPython, personally, but I'm not really > >> clear what the reasons were, other than it seems to work okay this > >> way.) > >> > > > > MacPorts is supported by the MacPorts community, and MacPython is > > supported by the Python community. More packages are used and tested > > with MacPython than with MacPorts or Fink. > > The MacPorts folks have over 300 ports that are python related, I > assume they actually test their ports ;-). As Bob noted MacPython is > supported by the Python community, "we" also maintain the mac port, > macports and fink just repackage that.
I'm pretty sure they don't test all of them beyond "setup.py install" working. > A major conceptual difference between MacPorts/Fink and MacPython is > that the the first two are projects to use unix software on the mac, > while MacPython is more focused on fitting in with the OS. > > To increase the confusion: there's also an ActiveState distribution > of Python. This is also a framework install. I have no idea why you > would want to use this unless you need commercial support for your > python installation. > You might want it if you want to see escape codes whenever you try and use the history keys, or if you really hate having a working bsddb module ;) But then again, you can just use Apple's for those "features". That said, ActiveState did release a slightly more usable Python (as far as installation goes anyway) than MacPython during the period between 2.4.1 and the universal build of 2.4.3. And I believe they released an Intel-only build before we did universal support... but those reasons are no longer relevant and haven't been for quite some time. -bob _______________________________________________ Pythonmac-SIG maillist - Pythonmac-SIG@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/pythonmac-sig
