Diet Python Files

This is Diet version 0.2 of Python version 2.5 beta 2
=====================================================
Copyright (c) 2006 by The Eternal Squire
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2006 by Travis Oliphant
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2005 by Shawn Hargreaves
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2001-2005 Juha-Matti Tapio and Alberto Griggio
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2005-2006 Grzegorz Adam Hankiewicz
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2003 Flangy Software & Adam Vandenberg
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 1996-2001 by Sam Rushing.
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Python Software Foundation.
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2000 BeOpen.com.
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 1995-2001 Corporation for National Research Initiatives.
All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum.
All rights reserved.

And possibly many others...


License information
-------------------
Please refer to LICENSE in the main Python release from the Python
Software Foundation.


What's new in this release?
---------------------------
Release 0.2 has a reworked Python module interface to the _alpymodule.
I believe it to be much more 'pythonic'.   There's a lot less code to write
just in order to make a simple example work.  See the examples!

I've dropped in the Allegro library from the OpenLayer project.  That one
seems to be a lot more reliable.

I'm using sources from the Python 2.5 beta 2 PSF release.

I've also rewritten some of the Allegro examples just to show that the
reworked interface works.

I also fixed a serious bug in the Python startup... the cutdown python.exe
can now be executed via the PATH.

I also added back the _randommodule, and exposed the Random object at startup.

Diet Python is now starting to look like a lightweight, hardcore, bare metal 
gaming Python.


What's new in release 0.1?
---------------------------
Diet Python is Python for clients that want to stay thin :)

Diet Python is a starting point for several legitimate purposes 
not addressed by the mainstream users:   embedded PC's on-a-board, 
alternate site library development, rescue floppies, thin clients, 
discless workstations, gaming, etc...

Diet Python is a variant release of Python that while does not alter
the Python language in any way, is a drastically cut-down version
whose purpose is to serve as a thin computing core.

Nearly all extraneous modules have been removed from the runtime,
as well as the entire user library.

In exchange, the following extras are provided as compile-in modules:
multiarraymodule, umathmodule, calldll, npstruct, alpy, wcurses.

The above should allow plenty of possibilities for user interfaces,
graphics processing, and process control.


Sweetened with Allegro...
-------------------------
Rather than using Tk/Tcl for graphics, Alpy has been substituted,
and given the name 'allegro',

There are a few Allegro-centered GUI interface applications that 
can easily be rewritten in Python, for those who have the burning 
desire to do so, Diet Python awaits your artistry.


Fortified with the Numpy multiarray type...
-------------------------------------------
Currently there is discussion taking place regarding making the 
Numpy multiarray facility the default array type.  Diet Python
anticipates this and incorporates the multiarray module, renamed
as 'array', and the umath module for operating on these arrays.
No other parts of Numpy or Scipy available right now, sorry.


Flavored with Curses...
-----------------------
The WCurses module in built into the distribution as well, renamed
as 'curses'.   I've heard from a lot of roguelike discussion groups 
about wanting to port to Python.  Guys and gals, here's your chance...


What is Python anyway?
----------------------
Python is an interpreted, interactive object-oriented programming
language suitable (amongst other uses) for distributed application
development, scripting, numeric computing and system testing.  Python
is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Java, JavaScript, Visual Basic or
Scheme.  To find out more about what Python can do for you, point your
browser to http://www.python.org/.

      
But wait, THERE'S MORE!  We're adding free can and bottle openers!
------------------------------------------------------------------
You get all the above, plus calldll and npstruct built-in.  No 
more of those messy custom DLL and struct wrapper chores, a lot of
the work will now be hidden from your dinner guests in case they
go snooping in the kitchen.


... and a customizeable implicit startup feature!
-------------------------------------------------
If you place an __init__.py file right next to python.exe or
pythonw.exe into your build, Diet Python will execute that file 
just after site importation.


try:
----
A working stock release of Diet Python is available as Diet.zip, simply
unzip the package, change directory into the bin, and run that python.


except build:
-------------
Diet Python builds using Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express (free)
release along with a Version 2 or better Platform SDK.  Please see the 
html article, "Using Visual C++ 2005 Express with the Microsoft Platform", 
in the PCBuild directory for setup.


except buy:
-----------
Sorry, this package is not for sale :)  It's open source.  Donations are
always appreciated and highly encouraged, see the FAQ for details.


finally:
--------
The reader is strongly suggested to master regular Python to his
or her satisfaction prior to attempting to customize his or her Diet.


Special notes:
--------------
1)  There is no os module.

    The posix module has been renamed as diet.  Some os calls
    will eventually be built into later releases of the diet 
    compiled module.
    
2)  In the stock release (Diet.zip) the following modules are
    available as globals:  stdin, stdout, stderr, allegro, 
    curses, array, umath, and diet
    
3)  Diet Python is NOT compatible with other installed Python
    releases.  It will try to import the site library of an
    installed Python, with predictably sad results.