XML Processing with Python

2.3. Testing the Python Installation

The first thing we will do is prove that Python is installed correctly on your machine. Type python at your system's command prompt and press the RETURN key. On Windows, you should see something like this:

CD-ROM reference=2004.txt
Python 1.5.2 (#0, Apr 13 1999, 10:51:12) [MSC 32 bit (Intel)]
>>>-

On Linux, you should see something like this:

CD-ROM reference=2005.txt
Python 1.5.2 (#1, Apr 18 1999, 16:03:16)  [GCC pgcc-2.91.60 19981201
(egcs-1.1.1)  on linux2]
Copyright 1991-1995 Stichting Mathematisch Centrum, Amsterdam
>>>

The cursor should be flashing just to the right of the three greater than signs (>>>). This is Python's command prompt. You are now running Python interactively, and it is waiting for ...