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183 lines
7.2 KiB
Text
This message is being sent in response to your message to the Python
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documentation maintainers (docs@python.org). Your message will
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be handled by a human, but this message serves to answer the most
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common questions sent to this address.
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You will only receive this message if it has not been sent to you for
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at least three months.
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If your question is answered below, you may not receive an additional
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message from the documentation maintainers. If you feel the answers
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below are not sufficient and you do not receive an additional response
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within a week, please do send a note letting us know that your
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question has not been properly answered, and be specific regarding
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what additional information you are looking for.
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-Fred
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Python Documentation
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---------------------------------------------------------
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1. Can I download HTML/PDF/PostScript versions of the docs?
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2. Where can I download Python?
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3. I can't unpack a downloaded copy on Windows; what should I do?
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4. I can't unpack a downloaded copy on Mac OS; what should I do?
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5. What can I use Python for?
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6. How do I use module/function/whatever XXX?
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7. What about JPython?
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8. I found a bug in the documentation, who should I tell?
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9. Can I get an algorithm to do THIS in language THAT?
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10. How do I decode an XXX file from my email on a YYY computer?
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11. Acrobat Reader won't print the PDF. What's wrong?
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12. Where can I find documentation in my native language?
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13. Why is Python installed on my computer?
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Answers to the Questions
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------------------------
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1. Can I download HTML/PDF/PostScript/<other> versions of the docs?
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Yes. These are available via the Web and traditional FTP. For
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Web access to the latest version, see:
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http://www.python.org/doc/
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For FTP access to the latest version and archives of previous
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versions, see:
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ftp.python.org:/pub/python/doc/
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2. Where can I download Python?
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You can get Python in source form and as a Windows installer
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from the main Python website. You can also find information
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about pre-built packages for other platforms there as well.
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Downloading information at the website is at the URL:
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http://www.python.org/download/
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The sources and Windows installer can be downloaded from the FTP
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site as well:
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ftp://ftp.python.org/pub/python/
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3. I can't unpack a downloaded archive on Windows; what should I do?
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Make sure the archive was saved with the .tgz extension; you may
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need to watch carefully when telling the browser where to save
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the file, as the default may change the extension to .tar or
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even .exe.
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Once you're sure the file has the right extension, use a recent
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version of WinZip to upack the file (version 7.0 works). Get
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WinZip from:
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http://www.winzip.com/
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4. I can't unpack a downloaded archive on Mac OS; what should I do?
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Stuffit Expander 4.5 (and probably other versions) cannot handle
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the "tar" archive, although it can decompress it from the .tgz
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file. Expander Enhancer, which you have to pay for, can handle
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the tar archive.
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5. What can I use Python for?
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Python is a general purpose programming language. See the
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Python home page at http://www.python.org/ for more information;
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introductory material is available at:
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http://www.python.org/doc/Intros.html
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6. How do I use module/function/whatever XXX?
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Start by reading the documentation for XXX. If the
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documentation doesn't make sense or seems incomplete, please
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file a specific bug report to docs@python.org (the
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address you sent your question to). Otherwise, you probably
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sent your question to the wrong place (which does not preclude
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an answer, if I know it).
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If you're looking for examples or tutorial information on how to
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use a particular Python library component, check the Demo/
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directory of the source distribution or Windows installation;
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there might be an example. If that doesn't help, point your Web
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browser to http://www.python.org/doc/ and look around; there may
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be a link to some interesting examples online. After that, try
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searching the Python Web site at http://www.python.org/search/.
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If your question still hasn't been answered, you may send your
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query to the Python newsgroup (comp.lang.python) or the mailing
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list (see http://www.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list).
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If you'd rather not send you message to a public forum, you can
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try sending it to python-help@python.org. (This is typically
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slower than sending your question to the public list, however.)
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7. What about Jython and JPython?
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If your question is specific to Jython or JPython, you should
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consult the Jython website at:
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http://www.jython.org/
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Chances are very good that the person who answers questions
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posted to docs@python.org doesn't use Jython very often,
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and won't be able to give you a meaningful answer beyond "Look
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at the Jython website." Sorry, I don't have *all* the answers!
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8. I found a bug in the documentation, who should I tell?
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If you're reading this, you've found the right address! Send
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all documentation bug reports to docs@python.org. If
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you prefer to use a Web-based reporting mechanism, you can use
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the bug database at http://www.python.org/python-bugs/.
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9. Can I get an algorithm to do THIS in language THAT?
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If THAT is Python, look in the standard library. If THAT isn't
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Python, use your favorite Internet search engine.
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10. How do I decode an XXX file from my email on a YYY computer?
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I really, honestly do not know. I don't even know why this
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question gets asked here. Since I don't have a YYY computer,
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I couldn't even try a few things out for you.
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11. Acrobat Reader won't print the PDF. What's wrong?
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Adobe has reportedly admitted that there is a bug in Acrobat Reader
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5.0 which causes it not to print at least some PDF files
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generated by pdfTeX. This software is used to produce the PDF
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version of the Python documentation, and our documents
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definately trigger this bug in Acrobat Reader. To print the PDF
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files, use Acrobat Reader 4.x, ghostscript, or xpdf.
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Information on ghostscript can be found at:
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http://www.ghostscript.com/
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Information on xpdf can be found at:
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http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/
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12. Where can I find documentation in my native language?
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There is a lot of contributed documentation in languages other
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than English. Some of the documents are translations of English
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documents, and others were originally authored in other
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languages. If we know about it, it will be listed at:
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http://www.python.org/doc/NonEnglish.html
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13. Why is Python installed on my computer?
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We're increasingly seeing Python being installed on computers
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as delivered by vendors. For more information on why, and
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whether it's safe to remove, see the "Why is Python Installed on
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my Computer?" FAQ, found at:
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http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed.html
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