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| 1 | This message is being sent in response to your message to the Python | ||
| 2 | documentation maintainers (docs@python.org). Your message will | ||
| 3 | be handled by a human, but this message serves to answer the most | ||
| 4 | common questions sent to this address. | ||
| 5 | |||
| 6 | You will only receive this message if it has not been sent to you for | ||
| 7 | at least three months. | ||
| 8 | |||
| 9 | If your question is answered below, you may not receive an additional | ||
| 10 | message from the documentation maintainers. If you feel the answers | ||
| 11 | below are not sufficient and you do not receive an additional response | ||
| 12 | within a week, please do send a note letting us know that your | ||
| 13 | question has not been properly answered, and be specific regarding | ||
| 14 | what additional information you are looking for. | ||
| 15 | |||
| 16 | |||
| 17 | -Fred | ||
| 18 | |||
| 19 | |||
| 20 | Frequently Asked Questions about the Python Documentation | ||
| 21 | --------------------------------------------------------- | ||
| 22 | |||
| 23 | 1. Can I download HTML/PDF/PostScript versions of the docs? | ||
| 24 | 2. Where can I download Python? | ||
| 25 | 3. I can't unpack a downloaded copy on Windows; what should I do? | ||
| 26 | 4. I can't unpack a downloaded copy on Mac OS; what should I do? | ||
| 27 | 5. What can I use Python for? | ||
| 28 | 6. How do I use module/function/whatever XXX? | ||
| 29 | 7. What about JPython? | ||
| 30 | 8. I found a bug in the documentation, who should I tell? | ||
| 31 | 9. Can I get an algorithm to do THIS in language THAT? | ||
| 32 | 10. How do I decode an XXX file from my email on a YYY computer? | ||
| 33 | 11. Acrobat Reader won't print the PDF. What's wrong? | ||
| 34 | 12. Where can I find documentation in my native language? | ||
| 35 | 13. Why is Python installed on my computer? | ||
| 36 | |||
| 37 | |||
| 38 | Answers to the Questions | ||
| 39 | ------------------------ | ||
| 40 | |||
| 41 | 1. Can I download HTML/PDF/PostScript/<other> versions of the docs? | ||
| 42 | |||
| 43 | Yes. These are available via the Web and traditional FTP. For | ||
| 44 | Web access to the latest version, see: | ||
| 45 | |||
| 46 | http://www.python.org/doc/ | ||
| 47 | |||
| 48 | For FTP access to the latest version and archives of previous | ||
| 49 | versions, see: | ||
| 50 | |||
| 51 | ftp.python.org:/pub/python/doc/ | ||
| 52 | |||
| 53 | 2. Where can I download Python? | ||
| 54 | |||
| 55 | You can get Python in source form and as a Windows installer | ||
| 56 | from the main Python website. You can also find information | ||
| 57 | about pre-built packages for other platforms there as well. | ||
| 58 | |||
| 59 | Downloading information at the website is at the URL: | ||
| 60 | |||
| 61 | http://www.python.org/download/ | ||
| 62 | |||
| 63 | The sources and Windows installer can be downloaded from the FTP | ||
| 64 | site as well: | ||
| 65 | |||
| 66 | ftp://ftp.python.org/pub/python/ | ||
| 67 | |||
| 68 | 3. I can't unpack a downloaded archive on Windows; what should I do? | ||
| 69 | |||
| 70 | Make sure the archive was saved with the .tgz extension; you may | ||
| 71 | need to watch carefully when telling the browser where to save | ||
| 72 | the file, as the default may change the extension to .tar or | ||
| 73 | even .exe. | ||
| 74 | |||
| 75 | Once you're sure the file has the right extension, use a recent | ||
| 76 | version of WinZip to upack the file (version 7.0 works). Get | ||
| 77 | WinZip from: | ||
| 78 | |||
| 79 | http://www.winzip.com/ | ||
| 80 | |||
| 81 | 4. I can't unpack a downloaded archive on Mac OS; what should I do? | ||
| 82 | |||
| 83 | Stuffit Expander 4.5 (and probably other versions) cannot handle | ||
| 84 | the "tar" archive, although it can decompress it from the .tgz | ||
| 85 | file. Expander Enhancer, which you have to pay for, can handle | ||
| 86 | the tar archive. | ||
| 87 | |||
| 88 | 5. What can I use Python for? | ||
| 89 | |||
| 90 | Python is a general purpose programming language. See the | ||
| 91 | Python home page at http://www.python.org/ for more information; | ||
| 92 | introductory material is available at: | ||
| 93 | |||
| 94 | http://www.python.org/doc/Intros.html | ||
| 95 | |||
| 96 | 6. How do I use module/function/whatever XXX? | ||
| 97 | |||
| 98 | Start by reading the documentation for XXX. If the | ||
| 99 | documentation doesn't make sense or seems incomplete, please | ||
| 100 | file a specific bug report to docs@python.org (the | ||
| 101 | address you sent your question to). Otherwise, you probably | ||
| 102 | sent your question to the wrong place (which does not preclude | ||
| 103 | an answer, if I know it). | ||
| 104 | |||
| 105 | If you're looking for examples or tutorial information on how to | ||
| 106 | use a particular Python library component, check the Demo/ | ||
| 107 | directory of the source distribution or Windows installation; | ||
| 108 | there might be an example. If that doesn't help, point your Web | ||
| 109 | browser to http://www.python.org/doc/ and look around; there may | ||
| 110 | be a link to some interesting examples online. After that, try | ||
| 111 | searching the Python Web site at http://www.python.org/search/. | ||
| 112 | |||
| 113 | If your question still hasn't been answered, you may send your | ||
| 114 | query to the Python newsgroup (comp.lang.python) or the mailing | ||
| 115 | list (see http://www.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list). | ||
| 116 | If you'd rather not send you message to a public forum, you can | ||
| 117 | try sending it to python-help@python.org. (This is typically | ||
| 118 | slower than sending your question to the public list, however.) | ||
| 119 | |||
| 120 | 7. What about Jython and JPython? | ||
| 121 | |||
| 122 | If your question is specific to Jython or JPython, you should | ||
| 123 | consult the Jython website at: | ||
| 124 | |||
| 125 | http://www.jython.org/ | ||
| 126 | |||
| 127 | Chances are very good that the person who answers questions | ||
| 128 | posted to docs@python.org doesn't use Jython very often, | ||
| 129 | and won't be able to give you a meaningful answer beyond "Look | ||
| 130 | at the Jython website." Sorry, I don't have *all* the answers! | ||
| 131 | |||
| 132 | 8. I found a bug in the documentation, who should I tell? | ||
| 133 | |||
| 134 | If you're reading this, you've found the right address! Send | ||
| 135 | all documentation bug reports to docs@python.org. If | ||
| 136 | you prefer to use a Web-based reporting mechanism, you can use | ||
| 137 | the bug database at http://www.python.org/python-bugs/. | ||
| 138 | |||
| 139 | 9. Can I get an algorithm to do THIS in language THAT? | ||
| 140 | |||
| 141 | If THAT is Python, look in the standard library. If THAT isn't | ||
| 142 | Python, use your favorite Internet search engine. | ||
| 143 | |||
| 144 | 10. How do I decode an XXX file from my email on a YYY computer? | ||
| 145 | |||
| 146 | I really, honestly do not know. I don't even know why this | ||
| 147 | question gets asked here. Since I don't have a YYY computer, | ||
| 148 | I couldn't even try a few things out for you. | ||
| 149 | |||
| 150 | 11. Acrobat Reader won't print the PDF. What's wrong? | ||
| 151 | |||
| 152 | Adobe has reportedly admitted that there is a bug in Acrobat Reader | ||
| 153 | 5.0 which causes it not to print at least some PDF files | ||
| 154 | generated by pdfTeX. This software is used to produce the PDF | ||
| 155 | version of the Python documentation, and our documents | ||
| 156 | definately trigger this bug in Acrobat Reader. To print the PDF | ||
| 157 | files, use Acrobat Reader 4.x, ghostscript, or xpdf. | ||
| 158 | |||
| 159 | Information on ghostscript can be found at: | ||
| 160 | |||
| 161 | http://www.ghostscript.com/ | ||
| 162 | |||
| 163 | Information on xpdf can be found at: | ||
| 164 | |||
| 165 | http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/ | ||
| 166 | |||
| 167 | 12. Where can I find documentation in my native language? | ||
| 168 | |||
| 169 | There is a lot of contributed documentation in languages other | ||
| 170 | than English. Some of the documents are translations of English | ||
| 171 | documents, and others were originally authored in other | ||
| 172 | languages. If we know about it, it will be listed at: | ||
| 173 | |||
| 174 | http://www.python.org/doc/NonEnglish.html | ||
| 175 | |||
| 176 | 13. Why is Python installed on my computer? | ||
| 177 | |||
| 178 | We're increasingly seeing Python being installed on computers | ||
| 179 | as delivered by vendors. For more information on why, and | ||
| 180 | whether it's safe to remove, see the "Why is Python Installed on | ||
| 181 | my Computer?" FAQ, found at: | ||
| 182 | |||
| 183 | http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed/ | ||