Some stupid questions

[Alex Martelli]

"Another rookie" <cdewin at dingoblue.net.au> wrote in message
news:9v5ea4$d1ek8$1 at ID-119882.news.dfncis.de...
>
> Hi I'm an old fart and a newbie. So I hope you'll bear with me and answer
a
> few basic questions for me. Feel free as patronizing as you want.
>
> I've just downloaded the latest version of Python 2.2, and have started
> learning to program from the web tutorials. If I stick with it ......
>
> ... Will I be able to compile my progs as executables, so that they can
run
> on anybodies machine, whether or not they have a version of Python
> installed?

There are separate tools that let you do that, py2exe (Windows-only)
and McMillan's Installer (also-Linux, as well as Windows, I believe).

> ... If not, does jpython or jython allow me to compile my progs as java
> apps, so that they will run on any machine with java?

Yes, Jython does allow that.  Take care: Jython is currently 2.1, so
don't start using features specific of Python 2.2 if you want to use
Jython right now!!!


In both cases, of course, there will be a "hefty" runtime (in a Java
jar, or as Windows DLL's, etc) that your "stand-alone" applications
will have to carry -- just as if they were written in any other
language requiring significant runtime support, such as Visual Basic.


Alex