Python

To start things off... Download python here:

http://python.org

Python package installer:

1. Download ez_setup.py from:
   http://peak.telecommunity.com/DevCenter/EasyInstall
   
2. from command line type python ez_setup.py to install
   

   $ python ez_setup.py 

3. see the peak website for usage. Or, to get you going try the following example.

Two Python packages used in EEI webpage & plot routines:

1. A simple and pythonic XML template language
   http://pypi.python.org/pypi/kid/0.9.6
2. World timezone definitions, modern and historical
   http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pytz/2008c

To install the kid package using EasyInstall from the command line type:

$ easy_install http://pypi.python.org/packages/2.5/k/kid/kid-0.9.6-py2.5.egg

You can also install python using cygwin to access it from the cygwin shell.