Detecting key presses

[tylertacky at gmail.com]

Ok, I'm pretty new to python, so this might be a stupid question. I'm
trying to write a simple text-based pong clone, and I can't figure out
how to read key presses to move the paddles. I just need something that
does the same thing as getch() and kbhit(). I can't use those because
their windows only, and I'm running Linux.

Someone suggested using curses, but that does crazy things with my
output, and leaves the terminal unusable after the program closes.