Uninstalling Python

[Pete]

I am using xpsp2, and I have two versions of python (2.2 and 2.2.3 - both
are listed as 29.3 mb, and listed as rarely used, which means never to me)
listed in add/remove programs in the control panel. I assume they were put
in by HP out of the factory install, when I got my pc last April, since I
certainly did not install the first one or do an update to it.

I googled "python" and have no interest in it and know nothing about it.

Therefore, I would like to uninstall both the versions since I do not
believe I need them. Would it be okay to uninstall them or would you
recommend that I keep them even though I will probably never use them (ie
for the future just in case). Or could something else get screwed up if I
uninstalled them. Is this analogous to java (which I also do not believe I
have a need for).

Thanks...Pete

[Ben Finney]

Re: Uninstalling Python

"Pete" <pete@nospam.ne t> writes:
[color=blue]
> I googled "python" and have no interest in it and know nothing about it.
>
> Therefore, I would like to uninstall both the versions since I do not
> believe I need them. Would it be okay to uninstall them or would you
> recommend that I keep them even though I will probably never use them (ie
> for the future just in case).[/color]

It should be okay to uninstall *any* software on your system if you
believe you don't want it.

If you don't have a system that defaults to removing software without
checking if other packages depend on it, I'd hope you have stern words
to say to your operating system vendor and seek out more user-friendly
operating systems.

On the other hand, if packaged programs depend on other packages but
don't use the operating system package manager to declare this, those
programs are poorly packaged.

In short: it's your computer. We hope you'll one day be interested
enough in Python to want to use it some more. For now, if you want to
uninstall it, you should feel free, and demand an explanation from
anything that breaks as a result.

--
\ "I have one rule to live by: Don't make it worse." -- Hazel |
`\ Woodcock |
_o__) |
Ben Finney

[Pete]

Re: Uninstalling Python

Ben Finney wrote:[color=blue]
> "Pete" <pete@nospam.ne t> writes:
>[color=green]
>> I googled "python" and have no interest in it and know nothing about
>> it.
>>
>> Therefore, I would like to uninstall both the versions since I do
>> not believe I need them. Would it be okay to uninstall them or
>> would you recommend that I keep them even though I will probably
>> never use them (ie for the future just in case).[/color]
>
> It should be okay to uninstall *any* software on your system if you
> believe you don't want it.
>
> If you don't have a system that defaults to removing software without
> checking if other packages depend on it, I'd hope you have stern words
> to say to your operating system vendor and seek out more user-friendly
> operating systems.[/color]

Thanks Ben...I told you in my very first few words who my operating system
vendor was (ie non other than "Bill Gates"). I said I was using xpsp2. So
do all "windows" xp computer operating systems do what you said (ie, check
if other packages depend on something that you are uninstalling). I would
certainly hope so, since MS is the world leader with "windows". I am not a
pc guru like you are, so when you tell me to seek out more user friendly
operator systems, it is over my head. I buy my pc's out of the box with
windows installed on them...Pete

[color=blue]
>
> On the other hand, if packaged programs depend on other packages but
> don't use the operating system package manager to declare this, those
> programs are poorly packaged.
>
> In short: it's your computer. We hope you'll one day be interested
> enough in Python to want to use it some more. For now, if you want to
> uninstall it, you should feel free, and demand an explanation from
> anything that breaks as a result.[/color]

[Robert Kern]

Re: Uninstalling Python

Pete wrote:[color=blue]
> I am using xpsp2, and I have two versions of python (2.2 and 2.2.3 - both
> are listed as 29.3 mb, and listed as rarely used, which means never to me)
> listed in add/remove programs in the control panel. I assume they were put
> in by HP out of the factory install, when I got my pc last April, since I
> certainly did not install the first one or do an update to it.
>
> I googled "python" and have no interest in it and know nothing about it.
>
> Therefore, I would like to uninstall both the versions since I do not
> believe I need them. Would it be okay to uninstall them or would you
> recommend that I keep them even though I will probably never use them (ie
> for the future just in case). Or could something else get screwed up if I
> uninstalled them. Is this analogous to java (which I also do not believe I
> have a need for).[/color]

"Why is Python Installed on my Computer?" FAQ:

http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed/

--
Robert Kern
robert.kern@gma il.com

"I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma
that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had
an underlying truth."
-- Umberto Eco

[Michael Ekstrand]

Re: Uninstalling Python

Pete wrote:[color=blue]
> Ben Finney wrote:[color=green]
>> "Pete" <pete@nospam.ne t> writes:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> I googled "python" and have no interest in it and know nothing about
>>> it.
>>>
>>> Therefore, I would like to uninstall both the versions since I do
>>> not believe I need them. Would it be okay to uninstall them or
>>> would you recommend that I keep them even though I will probably
>>> never use them (ie for the future just in case).[/color]
>> It should be okay to uninstall *any* software on your system if you
>> believe you don't want it.
>>
>> If you don't have a system that defaults to removing software without
>> checking if other packages depend on it, I'd hope you have stern words
>> to say to your operating system vendor and seek out more user-friendly
>> operating systems.[/color]
>
> Thanks Ben...I told you in my very first few words who my operating system
> vendor was (ie non other than "Bill Gates"). I said I was using xpsp2. So
> do all "windows" xp computer operating systems do what you said (ie, check
> if other packages depend on something that you are uninstalling). I would
> certainly hope so, since MS is the world leader with "windows". I am not a
> pc guru like you are, so when you tell me to seek out more user friendly
> operator systems, it is over my head. I buy my pc's out of the box with
> windows installed on them...Pete[/color]

AFAIK, Windows does not have such dependency information standard.

My recommendation: If it was, in fact, installed by HP's standard stuff,
leave it there. It's taking up relatively little space, most likely
isn't hurting anything, and is quite possibly used by some of the HP
utilities (they wouldn't install it if it wasn't).

- Michael

--
mouse, n: a device for pointing at the xterm in which you want to type.
-- Fortune
Visit me on the Web: http://www.elehack.net

[John Salerno]

Re: Uninstalling Python

Robert Kern wrote:
[color=blue]
> "Why is Python Installed on my Computer?" FAQ:
> http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed/[/color]

Most importantly from that link:

Some Windows machines also have Python installed. At this writing we're
aware of computers from Hewlett-Packard and Compaq that include Python.
Apparently some of HP/Compaq's administrative tools are written in Python.

[Pete]

Re: Uninstalling Python

John Salerno wrote:[color=blue]
> Robert Kern wrote:
>[color=green]
>> "Why is Python Installed on my Computer?" FAQ:
>> http://www.python.org/doc/faq/installed/[/color]
>
> Most importantly from that link:
>
> Some Windows machines also have Python installed. At this writing
> we're aware of computers from Hewlett-Packard and Compaq that include
> Python. Apparently some of HP/Compaq's administrative tools are
> written in Python.[/color]

Thanks to Everyone...I will leave it to be safe. I don't think I will ever
need any of HP's tools or utilities either, but I will leave it. Am I
correct in assuming that "administra tive tools" and "user accounts" in the
control panel is windows driven and not HP driven (excuse my choice of words
if not correct). This gets into the folders in c:\docs and settings, so I'm
not sure what the interface is between the windows operating system and
HP...Pete