Introduction

This page has some quick answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Movable Python.

1) How Much Does it Cost ?

It costs £4.99 (English pounds). At the time of writing, this was about $8.80 or 7.27 euros.

You can purchase it from the Movable Python Shop. This will prompt you for a username and password that will entitle you to free upgrades for a year.

2) How Can You Charge For This ?

Python is Open Source software. Almost all other distributions are free. However the main feature of Movable Python is the GUI Launcher and the many ways it allows you to control programs you launch.

These parts are all independent of Python itself, and many hours have gone into its creation, testing and writing documentation. All in all there is the equivalent of around 40 000 written words.

In 2005 an early open source version had three thousand downloads and only one donation.

Of course you also get my support via the Mailing List.

Last but not least, don't forget that the income goes towards keeping SPE and the Voidspace Python Projects Open Source.

3) How Big are the Final Distributions ?

The zip file is about twenty meg, and unpacked this weighs in at around 60meg. This is largely extension modules.

See Customising Your Distribution for ways you can reduce this size.

4) What is the minimum size of a distribution ?

A minimal distribution can be creatd by removing SPE, wxPython and all the extension modules. If you remove all the docs as well, the final size (uncompressed) is about 16 megabytes.

You can further reduce that by using UPX to compress the dlls and pyds.

5) Will it Run From USB 1.1 ?

It will run fine, although slightly slower than on a USB 2 connection.

6) Can I Use it With a Different Version of Python Installed ?

This is one of the major use cases of Movable Python. You can run files with one version of Python, without interfering at all with a different version of Python installed on the same machine.

7) Does it Work With Extension Module X ?

The answer is usually (but not always) Yes. See Customising Your Distribution for details on adding your own extension modules to your distribution.

If you do have problems, ask on the Mailing List.

8) How Compatible With Normal Python is it ?

Movable Python effectively has a normal Python interpreter embedded in it, so the answer is very compatible. For an example of a large and complex program that runs under Movable Python, see SPE the Python editor. A Movable Python user also reports running Zope 3.2 with Movable Python.

There are slight differences between the environment programs run in under Movable Python. See the ISSUES Page for a list of things you should be aware of.

9) Can I Get a Python 2.1 (or earlier) Distribution ?

Movable Python is built using py2exe. If there is a version of py2exe that works with Python pre-2.2 then it's theoretically possible. There are no current plans to do this however.

10) Does Movable Python Work With Win 98 ?

Movable Python is tested and works with Windows 98. There are still some outstanding reported errors with third party extension modules. Using a custom distribution built on Windows 98 might resolve this.

11) I Paid, How do I Download Movable Python ?

When you complete the transaction, you should get a username and password emailed to your Paypal address. This will enable you to login and download Movable Python from the Groups Page.

If you can't find this email, go to this page and enter your Paypal email address. Your username and password will be emailed to you.

If you're still stuck, contact me.

12) Can I Use Movable Python with Web Applications

Yes.

Users have reported getting Movable Python working with Zope 3, CherryPy and Twisted. There is also a page on using Movable Python with Django.