| 1 | This message is being sent in response to your message to the Python
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| 2 | documentation maintainers (docs@python.org). Your message will
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| 3 | be handled by a human, but this message serves to answer the most
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| 4 | common questions sent to this address.
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| 5 |
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| 6 | You will only receive this message if it has not been sent to you for
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| 7 | at least three months.
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| 8 |
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| 9 | If your question is answered below, you may not receive an additional
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| 10 | message from the documentation maintainers. If you feel the answers
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| 11 | below are not sufficient and you do not receive an additional response
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| 12 | within a week, please do send a note letting us know that your
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| 13 | question has not been properly answered, and be specific regarding
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| 14 | what additional information you are looking for.
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| 15 |
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| 16 |
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| 17 | -Fred
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| 18 |
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| 19 |
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| 20 | Frequently Asked Questions about the Python Documentation
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| 21 | ---------------------------------------------------------
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| 22 |
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| 23 | 1. Can I download HTML/PDF/PostScript versions of the docs?
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| 24 | 2. Where can I download Python?
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| 25 | 3. I can't unpack a downloaded copy on Windows; what should I do?
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| 26 | 4. I can't unpack a downloaded copy on Mac OS; what should I do?
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| 27 | 5. What can I use Python for?
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| 28 | 6. How do I use module/function/whatever XXX?
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| 29 | 7. What about JPython?
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| 30 | 8. I found a bug in the documentation, who should I tell?
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| 31 | 9. Can I get an algorithm to do THIS in language THAT?
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| 32 | 10. How do I decode an XXX file from my email on a YYY computer?
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| 33 | 11. Acrobat Reader won't print the PDF. What's wrong?
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| 34 | 12. Where can I find documentation in my native language?
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| 35 | 13. Why is Python installed on my computer?
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| 36 |
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| 37 |
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| 38 | Answers to the Questions
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| 39 | ------------------------
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| 40 |
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| 41 | 1. Can I download HTML/PDF/PostScript/<other> versions of the docs?
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| 42 |
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| 43 | Yes. These are available via the Web and traditional FTP. For
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| 44 | Web access to the latest version, see:
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| 45 |
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| 46 | http://www.python.org/doc/
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| 47 |
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| 48 | For FTP access to the latest version and archives of previous
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| 49 | versions, see:
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| 50 |
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| 51 | ftp.python.org:/pub/python/doc/
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| 52 |
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| 53 | 2. Where can I download Python?
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| 54 |
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| 55 | You can get Python in source form and as a Windows installer
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| 56 | from the main Python website. You can also find information
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| 57 | about pre-built packages for other platforms there as well.
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| 58 |
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| 59 | Downloading information at the website is at the URL:
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| 60 |
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| 61 | http://www.python.org/download/
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| 62 |
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| 63 | The sources and Windows installer can be downloaded from the FTP
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| 64 | site as well:
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| 65 |
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| 66 | ftp://ftp.python.org/pub/python/
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| 67 |
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| 68 | 3. I can't unpack a downloaded archive on Windows; what should I do?
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| 69 |
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| 70 | Make sure the archive was saved with the .tgz extension; you may
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| 71 | need to watch carefully when telling the browser where to save
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| 72 | the file, as the default may change the extension to .tar or
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| 73 | even .exe.
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| 74 |
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| 75 | Once you're sure the file has the right extension, use a recent
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| 76 | version of WinZip to upack the file (version 7.0 works). Get
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| 77 | WinZip from:
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| 78 |
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| 79 | http://www.winzip.com/
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| 80 |
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| 81 | 4. I can't unpack a downloaded archive on Mac OS; what should I do?
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| 82 |
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| 83 | Stuffit Expander 4.5 (and probably other versions) cannot handle
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| 84 | the "tar" archive, although it can decompress it from the .tgz
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| 85 | file. Expander Enhancer, which you have to pay for, can handle
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| 86 | the tar archive.
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| 87 |
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| 88 | 5. What can I use Python for?
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| 89 |
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| 90 | Python is a general purpose programming language. See the
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| 91 | Python home page at http://www.python.org/ for more information;
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| 92 | introductory material is available at:
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| 93 |
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| 94 | http://www.python.org/doc/Intros.html
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| 95 |
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| 96 | 6. How do I use module/function/whatever XXX?
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| 97 |
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| 98 | Start by reading the documentation for XXX. If the
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| 99 | documentation doesn't make sense or seems incomplete, please
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| 100 | file a specific bug report to docs@python.org (the
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| 101 | address you sent your question to). Otherwise, you probably
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| 102 | sent your question to the wrong place (which does not preclude
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| 103 | an answer, if I know it).
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| 104 |
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| 105 | If you're looking for examples or tutorial information on how to
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| 106 | use a particular Python library component, check the Demo/
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| 107 | directory of the source distribution or Windows installation;
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| 108 | there might be an example. If that doesn't help, point your Web
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| 109 | browser to http://www.python.org/doc/ and look around; there may
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| 110 | be a link to some interesting examples online. After that, try
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| 111 | searching the Python Web site at http://www.python.org/search/.
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| 112 |
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| 113 | If your question still hasn't been answered, you may send your
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| 114 | query to the Python newsgroup (comp.lang.python) or the mailing
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| 115 | list (see http://www.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list).
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| 116 | If you'd rather not send you message to a public forum, you can
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| 117 | try sending it to python-help@python.org. (This is typically
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| 118 | slower than sending your question to the public list, however.)
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| 119 |
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| 120 | 7. What about Jython and JPython?
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| 121 |
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| 122 | If your question is specific to Jython or JPython, you should
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| 123 | consult the Jython website at:
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| 124 |
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| 125 | http://www.jython.org/
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| 126 |
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| 127 | Chances are very good that the person who answers questions
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| 128 | posted to docs@python.org doesn't use Jython very often,
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| 129 | and won't be able to give you a meaningful answer beyond "Look
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| 130 | at the Jython website." Sorry, I don't have *all* the answers!
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| 131 |
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| 132 | 8. I found a bug in the documentation, who should I tell?
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| 133 |
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| 134 | If you're reading this, you've found the right address! Send
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| 135 | all documentation bug reports to docs@python.org. If
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| 136 | you prefer to use a Web-based reporting mechanism, you can use
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| 137 | the bug database at http://www.python.org/python-bugs/.
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| 138 |
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| 139 | 9. Can I get an algorithm to do THIS in language THAT?
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| 140 |
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| 141 | If THAT is Python, look in the standard library. If THAT isn't
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| 142 | Python, use your favorite Internet search engine.
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| 143 |
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| 144 | 10. How do I decode an XXX file from my email on a YYY computer?
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| 145 |
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| 146 | I really, honestly do not know. I don't even know why this
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| 147 | question gets asked here. Since I don't have a YYY computer,
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| 148 | I couldn't even try a few things out for you.
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| 149 |
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| 150 | 11. Acrobat Reader won't print the PDF. What's wrong?
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| 151 |
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| 152 | Adobe has reportedly admitted that there is a bug in Acrobat Reader
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| 153 | 5.0 which causes it not to print at least some PDF files
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| 154 | generated by pdfTeX. This software is used to produce the PDF
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| 155 | version of the Python documentation, and our documents
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| 156 | definately trigger this bug in Acrobat Reader. To print the PDF
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| 157 | files, use Acrobat Reader 4.x, ghostscript, or xpdf.
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| 158 |
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| 159 | Information on ghostscript can be found at:
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| 160 |
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| 161 | http://www.ghostscript.com/
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| 162 |
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| 163 | Information on xpdf can be found at:
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| 164 |
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| 165 | http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/
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| 166 |
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| 167 | 12. Where can I find documentation in my native language?
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| 168 |
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| 169 | There is a lot of contributed documentation in languages other
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| 170 | than English. Some of the documents are translations of English
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| 171 | documents, and others were originally authored in other
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| 172 | languages. If we know about it, it will be listed at:
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| 173 |
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| 174 | http://www.python.org/doc/NonEnglish.html
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| 175 |
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| 176 | 13. Why is Python installed on my computer?
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| 177 |
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| 178 | We're increasingly seeing Python being installed on computers
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| 179 | as delivered by vendors. For more information on why, and
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| 180 | whether it's safe to remove, see the "Why is Python Installed on
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| 181 | my Computer?" FAQ, found at:
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| 182 |
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| 183 | http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed/
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