Python pre-installed on new computer

[Mike Lewis]

I have just bought a new PC, an HP Pavilion with Windows XP Home.

I noticed the machine has Python pre-installed. There are no shortcuts to it, but I can see it in Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. There are two entries:

Python 2.2.1

and

Python 2.2.1 combined Win32 extensions

I have no interest in using Python. Is it essential for the smooth running of my system, or can I safely delete it?

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[2ffat]

I've never heard of Python being installed by default on a new machine. Since it is a programming language, I would think you could safely remove. Did you buy it direct or from a retailer?

If direct, have you contacted HP?

If from a retailer, did you ask if they are using Python to run some programs, maybe set something up for you?



James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]To determine how long it will take to write and debug a program, take your best estimate, multiply that by two, add one, and convert to the next higher units.[/sup]

 

[Mike Lewis]

James,

Thanks for your reply. I bought the machine from John Lewis (a large department store chain). I doubt very much that they customised it in any way, so I assume that's how it arrived from HP.

Let me ask you this: If any of the utilities that come with the system was written in Python, would those utilities require Python itself to be installed in order to run?

(I have a whole folder full of Python stuff, including PYTHON.EXE, PYTHONW.EXE, a bunch of DLLs and numerous PY and LIB files.)

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mike



Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[2ffat]

If any of the utilities that come with the system was written in Python, would those utilities require Python itself to be installed in order to run?

Yes. Python isn't a compiled language like C\C++ which creates executables (*.exe). The python files are needed.

Was this PC a return? I would talk to the store and find out why Python is installed.


James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]To determine how long it will take to write and debug a program, take your best estimate, multiply that by two, add one, and convert to the next higher units.[/sup]

 

[Mike Lewis]

James,

Was this PC a return?

You know, I am beginning to suspect that was the case, even though it was packaged as a new machine.

I noticed other unexpected files and folders on the hard drive, such a nearly-empty folder for Microsoft Frontpage, which looked as if it was once installed and had been un-installed, but had still left a couple of files behind.

I wonder what I should do about this. Should I take the PC back and insist on an entirely new one? That would be a bit of a hassle, to say the least. Or should I wipe the hard drive and do a full system restore? I don't have the OS or any of the apps on a CD, so will have to rely on the XP restore feature, which I've never used before.

Anyway, that's not your problem. Thanks for your help with this. If nothing else, I've learned a bit about Python.

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[JustinEzequiel]

see

http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed.html

 

[Mike Lewis]

JustinEzequiel,

Thanks for that. The article you referred to states:

Some Windows machines also have Python installed. At this writing we're aware of computers from Hewlett-Packard and Compaq that include Python. Apparently some of HP/Compaq's administrative tools are written in Python.

Maybe that's the case here. I wish I knew what those "administrative tools" were. I hate having software on my PC when I don't know what the software is or does.

Mike



Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[CubeE101]

My mother recently bought a Compaq, and I noticed Python was already installed on it too, when I went over to set it up for her...

As stated above, python is an interpreter, not nessesarily a language...

The language itself is the Syntax and Structure of a file that is interpreted with Python...

Python is similar to Java and VBScript in the sence that any program written in the 'language' must be ran with the interpreter (which is the program you see in add/remove programs)

I would definitely leave it there...

1) It will not hurt anything, or take up any relative space...
2) You may (as in, probably will) need it some day, so why uninstall it, just to have to turn around and reinstall it...

The more popular python gets, the more people will start to use it, following with the more programs that require it to run...

Just think of it as a Good Plug-In for windows... like a codec for Windows Media Player... the files are useless if they cannot be decoded/interpreted.

You may not have any intention of programming with Python, but that does not mean that everyone else shares that opinion... So you will still need it to read programs that they write...

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Josh,

Just before I saw your message, I decided to try to rename the Python directory, just to see if everything still worked OK. That way, I would know whether it was safe to delete it later.

But you've encouraged me not to do that. As you say, it takes up very little space, and is not hurting anything to stay there.

So I just loaded up the interpreter for the first time and had a play with it. I even managed to write a three line program (based purely on guess-work):

Mike = 1
Mike = Mike + 1
Print Mike

Amazingly, it worked. Just think what I could achieve if I read a programming manual.

I'll have to put it on the back burner for a while, but maybe I'll come back to it when I get time.

Mike



Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[CubeE101]

Yeah,

It's kind of fun once you get used to it...

http://www.python.org

is the main site for it, it has all the documentation that you need to get started...

But, sometimes it's easier to learn from a hardcopy reference...
2 books that I bought on it are:
Python 2.1 Bible
and
Game Programming with Python, Lua, and Ruby

I picked both of them up from Amazon.com in the new/used book section for pretty cheap...

good luck on your future projects ;-)

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[2ffat]

I think that once you give Python a try you'll like it. Since it now appears that this was "factory" installed, keep it.


James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
[sup]To determine how long it will take to write and debug a program, take your best estimate, multiply that by two, add one, and convert to the next higher units.[/sup]

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks to all of you for your excellent advice.

I've decided to keep Python for now. When I get a good chunk of free time, I'll have a shot at learning it. If I like it, the Python community will have a new member (and you will see me again in this forum). If not, nothing lost.

Mike

Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[JoeUser11]

I found (read find, I'm only 2 weeks in) that python is an extremely easy language to learn. Perhaps it's just because it's my first scripting language, but it's very comfortable to code in. I also discovered python when I was poking around on my new PC's hard drive. I hadn't even heard of it before I discovered it on my c drive.

It went something like this "Hey, what's this hidden folder? I didn't install this, is it malware? What's python? I'll check the readme. It looks like some kind of programming lanugage. Hey, they have a site! Mmm.. a scripting language eh? Hey, a tutorial! Why not?"

Good luck!

 

[Mike Lewis]

JoeUser11,

Sounds like you were in the same situation as me.

I've kept the copy of Python that came on my computer, and I still plan to explore it further one day.

Mike


Mike Lewis
Edinburgh, Scotland

My Visual Foxpro web site:

http://www.ml-consult.demon.co.uk

My Crystal Reports web site:

http://www.ml-crystal.com

 

[CubeE101]

Yes, It is a very HIGH LEVEL LANGUAGE (HLL)...

the higher the level of a language, the closer it gets to Human languages, and further from computer language, which makes it easy to pick up and learn quickly. As well as get you into the door of programming, once you are familiar with Python, you could try something a little more in depth, such as VB, C#, Java, or C++, And build your skills from there...

I would say Python is an excelent starting point for beginers, or those who need a refresher who have been out of practice for a while...

Python, being a HLL, sacrifices some speed and power for ease of use, yet it is one of few that does well at preserving the speed and power, making it one of the best (IMO) scripting languages...
(though C++ will ALWAYS run faster and more efficent, as well as have more access to low level features)

Have Fun, Be Young... Code BASIC
-Josh

http://cubee.topcities.com

PROGRAMMER: Red-eyed, mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

 

[Olaf Doschke]

Hi there, Mike!

Python should be easy for you, as it's syntax is more like visual foxpro. I've seen other foxpro programmers, that have made it their 2nd best choice (well, you don't throw away foxpro, if you've done something with it, too).

Bye, Olaf.