Setting up Python WinXP

[Joel Goldstick]

On Thu, Jun 23, 2016 at 1:11 PM, Michael Smolen <8smolen at tds.net> wrote:
> 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
> --
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list

Linux works well on old machines.  However, Lubuntu is a scaled down
Ubuntu version designed to run on older hardware (the GUI isn't as
fancy). and I am using it on a dell from 2008 with 4gigs ram.  Works
fine.  You can download the image and burn to cd or usb stick --
whichever your machine will allow you to boot from.  You'll be up in
an hour or so

-- 
Joel Goldstick
http://joelgoldstick.com/blog
http://cc-baseballstats.info/stats/birthdays