part igetting started with python double-clicking idle application opens graphical interactive environment that looks similar to the environment shown in figure - there are some small cosmetic differencesbut the content of the window is the same doubleclicking python launcher opens command-line environment similar to the one shown in figure - this environment uses all the python defaults to provide standard execution environment even if you install new version of python on your macyou don' have to settle for using the default environment it' still possible to open terminal to gain access to the python command-line switches howeverwhen you access python from the mac terminal applicationyou need to ensure that you're not accessing the default installation make sure to add /usr/local/binpython to your shell search path using linux after the installation process is completeyou can find python subfolder in your home folder the physical location of python on your linux system is normally the /usr/local/bin/python folder this is important information because you may need to modify the path for your system manually linux developers need to type python rather than just pythonwhen working at the terminal window to obtain access to the python installation testing your installation to ensure that you have usable installationyou need to test it it' important to know that your installation will work as expected when you need it of coursethis means writing your first python application to get startedopen copy of idle as previously mentionedidle automatically displays the python version and host information when you open it (refer to figure - to see python worktype print("this is my first python program "and press enter python displays the message you just typedas shown in figure - the print(command displays onscreen whatever you tell it to display you see the print(command used quite often in this book to display the results of tasks you ask python to performso this is one of the commands you work with frequently