at adding python-specific environment variables such as pythonstartup pythonpath pythonhome pythoncaseok pythonioencoding pythonfaulthandler pythonhashseed none of these environment variables is used in the book howeveryou can find out more about them at cmdline html#environment-variables using the mac when working with macyou probably have python already installed and don' need to install it for this book howeveryou still need to know where to find python the following sections tell you how to access python depending on the kind of installation you performed locating the default installation the default os installation doesn' include python-specific folder in most cases insteadyou must open terminal by choosing applicationsutilities terminal after terminal is openyou can type python and press enter to access the command-line version of python the display you see is similar to the one shown in figure - as with windows (see the "using windowssection of the using terminal to open python offers the advantage of using command-line switches to modify the manner in which python works locating the updated version of python you installed after you perform the installation on your mac systemopen the applica tions folder within this folderyou find python folder that contains the followingextras folder idle application (gui developmentpython launcher (interactive command developmentupdate sh command