Python 1.4 for BeOS DR8 - Jan. 26/97

Here's a port of Python 1.4 for BeOS DR8; Python's a great little programming
language... for more info, see http://www.python.org/ (which is where you
can get the original source, or extensive documentation in HTML, PostScript,
PDF, or LaTeX format).

INSTALLATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~

One way:

1) Unpack this archive, and move the usr directory into /boot.

2) Edit /boot/.profile and add:

   export PATH=/boot/usr/local/bin:$PATH

   and

   export PYTHONPATH=/boot/usr/local/lib/python1.4

   near the end of the file (put that PATH statement after any other
   PATH statements, PYTHONPATH can go anywhere).

3) Re-load the .profile by typing ". /boot/.profile", or close the Terminal
   and start a new one.

Another way:

1) Put the python executable from usr/local/bin into a directory on your
   PATH (such as /bin).

2) Put the Python library directory (python1.4) from usr/local/lib somewhere
   (we'll call it "/boot/bin/python1.4" in this example).

3) Edit /boot/.profile and add:

   export PYTHONPATH=/boot/bin/python1.4

4) Re-load the .profile by typing ". /boot/.profile", or close the Terminal
   and start a new one.

What's here?
~~~~~~~~~~~~

This version includes the following built-in modules:

array        audioop
binascii     cmath
errno        fcntl
imageop      math
md5          operator
parser       posix
regex        rgbimg
rotor        signal
soundex      strop
struct       thread
time         timing

I've tested the thread module with a couple of simple apps, and the
code in Demos/thread; they all work, except for Generator.py, which
manages to lock up the machine!  Some of the sample code is pretty
complex, so you should be OK... I really don't know what's wrong with
Generator.

This version does not include:

- BeOS API functions (none of the C++ API; support for some of the C
  APIs, such as get_file_type_creator might appear soon)
- socket support (difficult to implement with BeOS's current socket model)
- GNU readline (as soon as someone ports it I'll add it)
- ncurses (as soon as someone ports it I'll add it)

Chris Herborth (chrish@qnx.com)
http://www.qnx.com/~chrish/
Jan. 26/97
