Python packages on OS X vs Windows

[Kenneth McDonald]

At the moment I'm doing most of my stuff on a Mac, but I've been  
considering also getting
a Windows laptop. One of the reasons is that I've found it very  
difficult to get certain
Python related things running on the Mac; for example, if one wants  
to use the most
up-to-date Python on the mac, rather than the one installed by Apple,  
things can get
a bit hairy, and then if one wants to go PyQT/wxPy/etc, it can get  
even worse with
trying to get all the compiling/linking to work.

On the other hand, it seems like most of this stuff is just available  
as installers for PCs.
Am I being naive to think that installation of most of this stuff  
(including getting it working)
will be much easier in the PC world?

And on a somewhat related note, do people find ipython to be a decent  
replacement
on Windows for the fact that the Windows shell is braindead?

Thanks,
Ken