The version of Python that we are using in the lab is 2.6. If you want to install Python on your own computer, you'll be less likely to run into problems with work for class if you make sure you install a 2.6.x version.
Python is readily available for most of the popular operating
systems, and the available distributions include IDLE. You can find
most of what you want on the main Python web site's "download" page,
at http://www.python.org/download/.
Be sure you get version 2.6.
If you use Linux, check whether there is a version of Python packaged
for your distribution, because that will be easier to install. On Ubuntu,
for example, the appropriate package is python2.6, but you
will also want to install python2.6-doc and
idle-python2.6 (which may install a few more packages).
I'll try to add information here about which extensions/modules you'll need to add to your Python installation when we start to use some.
Last modified: Tue Jan 25 12:17:01 CST 2010