Why does Python never add itself to the Windows path?

[robert]

Ben Sizer wrote:
> I've installed several different versions of Python across several
> different versions of MS Windows, and not a single time was the Python
> directory or the Scripts subdirectory added to the PATH environment
> variable. Every time, I've had to go through and add this by hand, to
> have something resembling a usable Python installation. No such
> problems on Linux, whether it be Mandrake/Mandriva, Fedora Core, or
> Kubuntu. So why is the Windows install half-crippled by default? I just
> rediscovered this today when trying to run one of the Turbogears
> scripts, but this has puzzled me for years now.
> 

That would put together a great mix-up if app installations add to the PATH. Think of multiple installations etc.
( Note: this is also _NOT_ done on *nix - just a sym link is possibly put into /usr/local/bin or so )

To have something similar on Win I have a C:\bin folder where I put all my small .exe's / installations and all the start vectors (.exe, .bat's....).

The python.exe on Win is very small and just loads the pythonXX.dll.  It also finds the right default DLL due to the version engraved in python.exe.
Thus I just copy the small python.exe from my favorite/default Python installation (2.3) into my C:\bin. 
Thats probably next to what you obviously want - a "default link".
The Test&Fun-Pythons ( ... 2.2 2.4 2.5 2.6 ) - I have them renamed as e.g. python25.exe also in C:\bin  . I make similar links on *nix also.

Perhaps in the future the Python Windows installer should create such pythonXX.exe "links" and maybe even a default python.exe (upon Checkbox in Installer!)  into the Windows\system32 ?


Robert