Chapter 2. Getting started
This chapter covers
- Installing Python
- Using IDLE and the basic interactive mode
- Writing a simple program
- Using IDLE’s Python shell window
This chapter guides you through downloading, installing, and starting up Python and IDLE, an integrated development environment for Python. At the time of this writing, the Python language is fairly mature, and version 3.1 has just been released. After going through years of refinement, Python 3 is the first version of the language that isn’t fully backward compatible with earlier versions. It should be several years before another such dramatic change occurs, and any future enhancements will be developed with concern to avoid impacting an already significant existing code base. Therefore, the material presented after this chapter isn’t likely to become dated anytime soon.
Installing Python is a simple matter, regardless of which platform you’re using. The first step is to obtain a recent distribution for your machine; the most recent one can always be found at www.python.org. This book is based on Python 3.1.