Installing Python (Math 30800, Section R, Fall 2015)

Python is freely available from python.org for Linux/UNIX, Mac OS X, Windows and other operating systems. If you want to run python on your home computer for use in this class, you will want to install the latest version of python 3. (These are versions of python with version numbers of the form 3.*.*. As I am writing this, the latest version is 3.4.3.

I've written some notes on installing Python below. If you need additional assistance, I should be able to help get Python working on any of these operating systems.

Installation Notes on Windows

I did the following to install Python on Windows 7. (I imagine something similar will work for other recent versions of Windows.)

1. Go to https://www.python.org. Move the mouse over the Downloads link. Click the button labeled "Python 3.4.3" (or a more recent 3.*.* version). This will cause a named "python-3.4.3.msi" to be saved somewhere on your disk.
2. Install the program "for all users" or "just for me," it shouldn't matter which you choose. Click "Next" a few times until the program installs.
3. From the start menu you should be able to run python through the program "IDLE". You can type IDLE in the start menu search box to find it.

Installation Notes on Mac OsX

For everything to run well on a Mac, you need to install two programs.

• The latest version of ActiveTcl: ActiveTcl download page
  (This needs to be installed to use IDLE. See the document IDLE and tkinter with Tcl/Tk on Mac OS X.)
• Python, which can be downloaded from https://www.python.org. Use the downloads link.

In order to install these programs you can follow these directions:

1. The programs are not written by authors recognized as acceptable by Apple, so you need to temporarily enable installation of programs from unidentified developers. To do this:
   1. < (You can get to it from the Apple Menu in the top left of your screen.)
   2. Click on Security & Privacy to get to the Security & Privacy settings.
   3. Click the lock in the bottom left of the window to unlock the ability change the settings. Enter your password when prompted.
   4. Select the button next to Anywhere (for "Allow applications downloaded from anywhere"). You will be prompted to confirm your change. Click "Allow from anywhere".
   The University of Wisconsin-Madison has similar directions with pictures.
2. Install ActiveTcl:
   1. Download ActiveTcl from the download page or clicking the following direct link ActiveTcl 8.5.18.0. Currently the version with number 8.5.18.0 is recommended by Python, but probably either will work fine. This will result in downloading a file with a name such as "ActiveTcl8.5.18.0.298892-macosx10.5-i386-x86_64-threaded.dmg".
   2. Open the downloaded file from the browswer. A window should appear. Double click the package icon in the window to install ActiveTcl. Follow the application's directions to install ActiveTcl.
3. Install Python:
   1. Go to https://www.python.org. Move the mouse over the Downloads link. Click the button labeled "Python 3.4.3" (or a more recent 3.*.* version). This should cause a named "python-3.4.3-macosx10.6.pkg" to be downloaded.
   2. Open the downloaded file from your browser. Follow the instructions to install Python3.
4. Reenable the original security settings:
   1. Open System Preferences.
   2. Click on Security & Privacy to get to the Security & Privacy settings.
   3. Unlock the settings by clicking the lock.
   4. Select the button next to "Mac App Store and identified developers" (or "Mac App Store" if you feel especially cautious).

Installation Notes on Linux

On Ubuntu Linux (and similar distributions), the following command should install the latest version of python. (Note that installing packages without the 3 installs the latest version of python 2.)