in both windows and python' installer for it for nowa simple tile click or windowskey press to hop into desktop mode will allow most python programmers on windows to safely ignore the tablet-like interface on top--at least until "appstrounce "programsaltogether configuring python after you've installed pythonyou may want to configure some system settings that impact the way python runs your code (if you are just getting started with the languageyou can probably skip this section completelythere is usually no need to specify any system settings for basic programs generally speakingparts of the python interpreter' behavior can be configured with environment variable settings and command-line options in this sectionwe'll take brief look at bothbut be sure to see other documentation sources for more details on the topics we introduce here python environment variables environment variables--known to some as shell variablesor dos variables--are system-wide settings that live outside python and thus can be used to customize the interpreter' behavior each time it is run on given computer python recognizes handful of environment variable settingsbut only few are used often enough to warrant explanation here table - summarizes the main python-related environment variable settings (you'll find information on others in python reference resourcestable - important environment variables variable role path (or pathsystem shell search path (for finding "python"pythonpath python module search path (for importspythonstartup path to python interactive startup file tcl_librarytk_library gui extension variables (tkinterpy_pythonpy_python py_python windows launcher defaults (see appendix bthese variables are straightforward to usebut here are few pointers lest that seem too sarcastici should note that windows may address some launch screen and start button (if not menuconcerns per late-breaking rumorsand this edition' new windows sidebar replaces one in prior editions that discussed windows vista issue any similarities you might deduce from that are officially coincidental configuring python