Python 2.7 released

[Martineau]

On Jul 5, 5:53 pm, David Robinow <drobi... at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 8:15 PM, Steven D'Aprano<st... at remove-this-cybersource.com.au> wrote:
> > On Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:59:00 -0700, Martineau wrote:
>
> >> I'd like to view the contents of the help file without actually
> >> installing the release which would wipe out any currently installed
> >> version (I'm one of those rare people who actually reads manuals
> >> *before* using or installing most things.)
> ...
> > Are there any Windows users out there who can confirm that the installer
> > does or doesn't leave existing versions in place?
>
>  The installer does leave existing versions in place. I have no idea
> what the OP is referring to.

Some clarification. I meant installed 2.7 on top of 2.6.x. Doing so
would have interfered with the currently installed version because I
always install Python in the same directory, one named just "Python",
to minimize the number of changes I have to make to to other parts of
the system. Some trivial examples are desktop shortcuts I've set up
which point to the commandline version of the interpreter and another
for the help file. I also believe the Windows installer makes registry
changes that also involve paths to the currently installed version,
which again, is something I wanted to avoid until I'm  actually ready
to commit to upgrading.

If there are better ways on Windows to accomplish this, I'd like to
hear about them. I suppose I could use hardlinks or junctions but
they're not well supported on most versions of Windows.

BTW, my original problem -- getting a copy of the Windows format
compiled help file fro v2/7 without installing it has been taken care
by suggestions from other, so this discussion is starting to way off-
topic...

Thanks,
Martin