Setting up Python WinXP

[Michael Smolen]

Zach and friends:
I am beginning to learn how to install something like Linux Mint on an old 
box from about 2006. That will be my programming machine for Python and 
Perl. I can't abandon XP because other projects are in process and my old 
brain can't handle converting everything at this time. Progress is great 
until it passes you long ago, then you just have to stay afloat. Gulp, gulp, 
gulp... thanks.
mike
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zachary Ware" <zachary.ware+pylist at gmail.com>
To: <python-list at python.org>
Cc: "Michael Smolen" <8smolen at tds.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: Setting up Python WinXP


Hi Michael,

On Wed, Jun 22, 2016 at 11:41 AM, Michael Smolen <8smolen at tds.net> wrote:
> Folks:
> I can't wait to start programming with Python.

Welcome to Python!

> However, I am having difficulty installing on my XP operating system.

This unsolicited advice is rather beside the point, but I would highly
recommend moving away from XP if you have any say in the matter.
Linux Mint (or other distro of your choice) is easy to install and
use, is free in whatever sense of the word you'd like to use, and will
be much more secure than XP, which is no longer supported by Microsoft
(this is why it's not supported by Python 3.5+, either).  An upgrade
to a newer version of Windows is also a good idea, but more costly.

> I downloaded Python-3.4.5ci

I'm not sure what you mean by 3.4.5ci; do you mean 3.4.5rc1?  3.4.5rc1
is pre-release software; 3.4.5 will be released in a week or so.
However, it won't include binary installers for Windows since Python
3.4 is now in security-fix-only mode.

> as that seems like the version that will run on my operating system. The 
> latest version will not as per mention on the website. I downloaded the 
> compacted version  (*.tar), converted it to a *.tgz and extracted the 
> software into a folder Python-3.4.5ci. That subdirectory contains numerous 
> files (11) and 13 subdirectories. The README file states that "On Windows, 
> see PCbuild/readme.txt.". That link was not found.
>
> So, I am clueless on what I need to do to successfully install Python3.4 
> on my computer. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If you're stuck with XP, stick with Python 3.4.4, and download the
installer from here:
https://www.python.org/ftp/python/3.4.4/python-3.4.4.msi

Hope this helps,
-- 
Zach