Downloading Python
This is the one with the highest number that isn't marked as an alpha or beta release. Currently the stable version is [http://www.python.org/2.5.1/ Python 2.5.1].
If you're running Windows: the most stable Windows download is [http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.5.1/python-2.5.1.msi Python 2.5.1 for Windows].
If you're running Windows XP: a complete guide to installing ActivePython is at [http://www.richarddooling.com/index.php/2006/03/14/python-on-xp-7-minutes-to-hello-world/ Python on XP: 7 Minutes To "Hello World!"]. ShowMeDo has [http://showmedo.com/videos/series?name=pythonOzsvaldPyNewbieSeries two videos] for downloading, installing and getting started with Python 2.5 on a Windows XP machine - this series talks you through the Python 2.5, ActivePython and SciPy distributions.
If you are using a Mac, see [http://www.python.org/download/mac/ this page]. MacOS 10.2 (Jaguar), 10.3 (Panther) and 10.4 (Tiger) come with Python already, but you will probably want to install the [http://pythonmac.org/packages/py24-fat/index.html latest universal build].
For Red Hat, install the python2 and python2-devel packages.
For Debian or Ubuntu, install the python2.5 and python2.5-dev packages.
For Gentoo, install the '=python-2.5*' ebuild (you may have to unmask it first).
For other systems, or if you want to install from source, see the [http://www.python.org/download/ general download page].