[issue41466] Windows installer: "Add to PATH" should be checked by default

[Steve Dower]

Steve Dower  added the comment:

As Eryk says, the defaults include the "py" launcher, which is now recommended 
at the end of installation. Python is also available from the Start 
menu/screen, and PEP 514 allows other tools to reliably detect and offer Python 
installs.

Modifying PATH at all is an advanced scenario, as it may cause other 
(unrelated) applications to stop working. Modifying PATH twice makes launching 
Python unreliable, and attempting to reverse the modification may leave the 
system in an unreliable state. We won't be changing the default.

People who install from the Microsoft Store will get all the shortcuts they 
expect (assuming they are already Linux experts, otherwise they have no 
expectations anyway), because we are able to update what appears on PATH more 
safely.

--
resolution:  -> rejected
stage:  -> resolved
status:  -> closed

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[issue41466] Windows installer: "Add to PATH" should be checked by default

[Eryk Sun]

Change by Eryk Sun :


--
components: +Installation
status: open -> 
versions: +Python 3.10, Python 3.8, Python 3.9

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[issue41466] Windows installer: "Add to PATH" should be checked by default

[Eryk Sun]

Eryk Sun  added the comment:

Managing multiple Python installations in PATH is problematic, so by default 
the installer doesn't modify PATH. Instead, the "py.exe" launcher [1] is made 
available, which can run any registered installation of Python. 

Using a launcher fits the Windows environment better, which installs 
applications into separate subdirectories of "shell:ProgramFiles" or 
"shell:UserProgramFiles". This is similar to monolithic package installation in 
Unix into "/opt" or "~/.local/opt" (or "~/opt"). 

A recent update to the installer extends the message after a successful 
installation to suggest "[a]t your terminal, type 'py' to launch Python". It 
also includes a link to the "Using Python on Windows" documentation. Hopefully 
this will encourage more users to learn about and use the py launcher.

[1] https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html#launcher

--
nosy: +eryksun

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[issue41466] Windows installer: "Add to PATH" should be checked by default

[cotree]

New submission from cotree :

In the Windows installer, "Add Python 3.x to PATH" is unchecked by default:

https://docs.python.org/3/_images/win_installer.png

If it's unchecked, then "python", "pip", and any other commands from installed 
packages (like django-admin, etc) will not work, which is quite important 
functionality. Searching on Google shows that "'python' is not recognized..." 
is a commonly asked about error. Many users leave that box unchecked because 
they don't know what PATH is and they tend to stick with the defaults 
recommended by the installer.

On the other hand, I think not wanting Python on your PATH is more of an 
advanced use case. The people who opt for this are more likely to know what 
PATH is in the first place, so it's reasonable to ask them to decide to uncheck 
it.

--
components: Windows
messages: 374752
nosy: cotree, paul.moore, steve.dower, tim.golden, zach.ware
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: Windows installer: "Add to PATH" should be checked by default
type: enhancement

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