Installing Python on a Windows PC

[kestrell]

I want to start learning Python, but all the different options are making it very difficult to know which is the right one for me. Then there are these warnings about where you install it.

What does x86 mean? Some recommendations are to use the Windows launcher--what is that? What is PEP ? Where should I install Python on my hard drive?

Seriously, there are more flavors of Python than there are of Coke.

Does anyone have advice on this?

Comments

Oh! I know one of these!

[jesse_the_k]

X86 is the 32-bit chip family that came with 90s PCs

https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/x/x86.htm

Re: Oh! I know one of these!

[kestrell]

Okay, that's one mystery solved, thanks! I get the 32-bit thing, but there are still all these choices. I just want a burger and fries, you know?

[melita66]

My company installs/make sure that Python is installed with its major software so I haven't had to deal with fine-tuning it. If I were installing a stand-alone version, I think I would go ahead and install 3.9.0 (released October 5, 2020) and use the "Windows x86-64 executable installer".

That should install the files and then add the directory path and so on to the operating system environment and/or registry. Main download page is here:

Python Downloads

The link to the actual install program that I've recommended is:

Windows 64-bit 3.9.0 installer

[kestrell]

Oh, thank you so much! I spent so much time googling about this, but sometimes humans just make so much more sense than search engines. Okay, perhaps that did not sound like quite the sterling compliment I intended it to be but, rest assured, you are my hero of the day.

[melita66]

No worries! I hope it goes well.

[kestrell]

The install went smoothly and I'm plowing through the first module of my Coursera course, Python for Everybody, by Dr. Chuck. Have you seen this? He has a video in which he is wearing a sorting hat and comparing Python to Parseltongue (I love that Alexa can spell that for me). I was listening to this just as I was unwrapping the snake hair clips I recently bought.

[jesse_the_k]

Perfectly adorned for programming with Python!

[kestrell]

I even brough my three foot long green python puppet over to my geekosphere, and now her name is Pythacket. The girl protagonist in Disney's "The Owl house" also has a pet snake.

[jesse_the_k]

Proper adornments ensure smooth running code.