ActiveState Python Overview

• ActiveState Python is a commercial distribution of the Python language sold by the Canadian firm, ActiveState. The company also produces similar, value-added versions of the scripting languages Perl and Tcl. According to the company website, ActiveState Python is a tested, quality-assured and easy to install Python distribution. In addition to code, ActiveState Python includes technical support, "extended" documentation and indemnification against copyright or patent violations for its proprietary code. ActiveState Python provides installers for Python versions 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 and 3.1.
  
  

Additional Python Modules

• ActiveState makes additional Python modules available to its paying customers. The Database Modules gives you access to MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle and Microsoft SQL databases. The Crypto Modules provide support for OpenSSL as well as 3DES, AES and RSA data encryption methods. The GUI Toolkit Modules allow you to write Graphic User Interface or GUI applications using the PyQT and WxPython programming frameworks.
  
  

Multiple Platforms

• While free versions from "Python.org" are available from many different operating system environments, installing these packages on systems other than Mac OS X, UNIX, BSD or Linux can be challenging. The developers of ActiveState Python work to ensure that the same version of their product will install and function the same on computers running Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, Solaris, AIX and HP-UX operating systems.
  
  

Support Options

• ActiveState Python is available three different forms. The Community Edition is free to download, install and use. Community Edition supports Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. Support is limited to help on the company's "ActiveState Community." Community Edition is meant for community developers and non-production servers
  
  The Business Edition costs $999 per year for each production server it is installed on, as of the time of this publication. This package expands upon the Community Edition by adding support for Solaris, HP-UX and AIX operating systems. Business Edition also includes installation and configuration support by email for 30 days.
  
  ActiveState Enterprise Edition is marketed to large installations with mission-critical application requirements. Pricing for Enterprise Edition requires a quote from ActiveState. Enterprise Edition covers the features of Business Edition and raises them with unlimited phone and email support, a two-hour response time, a quality assurance guarantee, indemnification, design and development support and custom Python version builds.