1 ============================================= 2 "Why is Python Installed on my Computer?" FAQ 3 ============================================= 4 5 What is Python? 6 --------------- 7 8 Python is a programming language. It's used for many different applications. 9 It's used in some high schools and colleges as an introductory programming 10 language because Python is easy to learn, but it's also used by professional 11 software developers at places such as Google, NASA, and Lucasfilm Ltd. 12 13 If you wish to learn more about Python, start with the `Beginner's Guide to 14 Python <https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide>`_. 15 16 17 Why is Python installed on my machine? 18 -------------------------------------- 19 20 If you find Python installed on your system but don't remember installing it, 21 there are several possible ways it could have gotten there. 22 23 * Perhaps another user on the computer wanted to learn programming and installed 24 it; you'll have to figure out who's been using the machine and might have 25 installed it. 26 * A third-party application installed on the machine might have been written in 27 Python and included a Python installation. For a home computer, the most 28 common such application is `PySol <http://pysolfc.sourceforge.net/>`_, a 29 solitaire game that includes over 1000 different games and variations. 30 * Some Windows machines also have Python installed. At this writing we're aware 31 of computers from Hewlett-Packard and Compaq that include Python. Apparently 32 some of HP/Compaq's administrative tools are written in Python. 33 * All Apple computers running Mac OS X have Python installed; it's included in 34 the base installation. 35 36 37 Can I delete Python? 38 -------------------- 39 40 That depends on where Python came from. 41 42 If someone installed it deliberately, you can remove it without hurting 43 anything. On Windows, use the Add/Remove Programs icon in the Control Panel. 44 45 If Python was installed by a third-party application, you can also remove it, 46 but that application will no longer work. You should use that application's 47 uninstaller rather than removing Python directly. 48 49 If Python came with your operating system, removing it is not recommended. If 50 you remove it, whatever tools were written in Python will no longer run, and 51 some of them might be important to you. Reinstalling the whole system would 52 then be required to fix things again. 53 54