Installing Python 2.6 in Windows 7

Make sure to use the 32-bit version. Currently, while 64-bit version of Python 2.6 (2.6.5) is available, NumPy, SciPy, and possibly other modules (e.g. PyGame) won't install with 64-bit Python since apparently there are only 32-bit versions of them at the moment. Although 64-bit Python 2.6.5 can be successfully installed under Windows 7 (mine's 64-bit), installing 32-bit modules (using the .exe installer) will give "Python 2.6 is not found in the registry".

There is a 64-bit version of NumPy, but it seems to be experimental, and after Google-ing it, there seem to be many reports of 64-bit NumPy not working.

Suggestion:
- Install 32-bit Python (note: in PyGame's website, they say Python 2.5 is currently "the best" for Windows - reasons still unknown).
- Then install all the necessary modules. Currently installed:
- Python 2.6.5 [ Link ] (python.org)
- NumPy 1.4.0 [ Link ] (Sourceforge)
- SciPy 0.7.1 [ Link ] (Sourceforge)
- matplotlib 0.99.1 [ Download ] (matplotlib)
- pyGame 1.9.1 [ Link ] (pygame.org)
- pySerial 2.5 [ Link ]

Ubuntu 9.10 - boot always load to Grub prompt

See Ubuntu Forum's thread: here

See a possible solution: here

Other problems:
- the kernel linux-headers-2.6.31-19-generic doesn't work/cannot boot - currently using 2.6.31-17-generic

Ubuntu 9.10 cannot update

I had trouble updating my Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) using the Update Manager. Everytime I run update, the Update Manager freezes on 'Downloading Files...'. I can Force Quit it, but the next time I tried to run the Update Manager again, it says 'Another Synaptic application is already running' and won't let me launch the Update Manager. When I shutdown or restart, a message appears saying "AT SPI Registry Wrapper is not responding" - everytime.

So I googled the problem, and found several links:
- A bug report for the unable-to-update issue: https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/6719
Here, I used Manu Arya's suggestion to comment out /etc/network/interfaces:
> in Terminal, type: sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces
> comment the following entries, from:
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
to:
#auto lo
#iface lo inet loopback
- The issue with 'AT SPI Registry Wrapper not responding': https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/at-spi/+bug/477978
From this, I disabled the AT (Assistive Technologies):
> From the toolbar: System > Preferences > Assistive Technologies
> uncheck the "Enable assistive technologies" checkbox
- Restart/reboot

Now I was able to run the update.

Note:
1. Before I run the update, I did:
> $ sudo apt-get update
to check for new updates (it doesn't install the updates, just updates the update list)
2. Since I did both changes (commenting the /etc/network/interfaces, and disabling Assistive Technologies) before retrying the update, I cannot tell which change solved the problem - whether it's one of them or both.
3. Note that any features you're using that requires Assistive Technologies will be disabled. So I don't know if or why AT is a problem (i.e. why the AT SPI registry wrapper always said to be not responding).