diff --git a/installing-python.html b/installing-python.html index a00c78c..275012f 100644 --- a/installing-python.html +++ b/installing-python.html @@ -127,49 +127,82 @@ Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.

Installing on Mac OS X

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FIXME +

All modern Macintosh computers use the Intel chip (like most Windows PCs). Older Macs used PowerPC chips. You don’t need to understand the difference, because there’s just one Mac Python installer for all Macs. + +

Visit python.org/download/ and download the Mac installer. It will be called something like Python 3.1 Mac Installer Disk Image, although the version number may vary. Be sure to download version 3.x, not 2.x.

  1. [contents of Python installer disk image] +

    Your browser should automatically mount the disk image and open a Finder window to show you the contents. (If this doesn’t happen, you’ll need to find the disk image in your downloads folder and double-click to mount it. It will be named something like python-3.1.dmg.) The disk image contains a number of text files (Build.txt, License.txt, ReadMe.txt), and the actual installer package, Python.mpkg. +

    Double-click the Python.mpkg installer package to launch the Mac Python installer.

  2. [Python installer: welcome screen] +

    The first page of the installer gives a brief description of Python itself, then refers you to the ReadMe.txt file (which you didn’t read, did you?) for more details. +

    Click the Continue button to move along.

  3. [Python installer: information about supported architectures, disk space, and acceptable destination folders] +

    The next page actually contains some important information: Python requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later. If you are still running Mac OS X 10.2, you should really upgrade. Apple no longer provides security updates for your operating system, and your computer is probably at risk if you ever go online. Also, you can’t run Python 3. +

    Click the Continue button to advance.

  4. [Python installer: software license agreement] +

    Like all good installers, the Python installer displays the software license agreement. Python is open source, and its license is approved by the Open Source Initiative. Python has had a number of owners and sponsors throughout its history, each of which has left its mark on the software license. But the end result is this: Python is open source, and you may use it on any platform, for any purpose, without fee or obligation of reciprocity. +

    Click the Continue button once again.

  5. [Python installer: dialog to accept license agreement] +

    Due to quirks in the standard Apple installer framework, you must “agree” to the software license in order to complete the installation. Since Python is open source, you are really “agreeing” that the license is granting you additional rights, rather than taking them away. +

    Click the Agree button to continue.

  6. [Python installer: standard install screen] +

    The next screen allows you to change your install location. You must install Python on your boot drive, but due to limitations of the installer, it does not enforce this. In truth, I have never had the need to change the install location. +

    From this screen, you can also customize the installation to exclude certain features. If you want to do this, click the Customize button; otherwise click the Install button.

  7. [Python installer: custom install screen] +

    If you choose a Custom Install, the installer will present you with the following list of features: +

    +

    Click the Install button to continue.

  8. [Python installer: dialog to enter administrative password] +

    Because it installs system-wide frameworks and binaries in /usr/local/bin/, the installer will ask you for an administrative password. There is no way to install Mac Python without administrator privileges. (FIXME really?) +

    Click the OK button to begin the installation.

  9. [Python installer: progress meter] +

    The installer will display a progress meter while it installs the features you’ve selected.

  10. [Python installer: install succeeded] +

    Assuming all went well, the installer will give you a big green checkmark to tell you that the installation completed successfully. +

    Click the Close button to exit the installer.

  11. [contents of /Applications/Python 3.1/ folder] +

    Assuming you didn’t change the install location, you can find the newly installed files in the Python 3.1 folder within your /Applications folder. The most important piece is IDLE, the graphical Python Shell. +

    Double-click IDLE to launch the Python Shell.

  12. [Mac Python Shell, a graphical interactive shell for Python] +

    The Python Shell is where you will spend most of your time exploring Python. Examples throughout this book will assume that you can find your way into the Python Shell. +

[Skip to using the Python Shell]