Use PEP 397 py launcher in windows faq

[JulienPalard]

BPO	32613
Nosy	@terryjreedy, @pfmoore, @tjguk, @zware, @zooba, @matrixise, @JulienPalard, @miss-islington
PRs	bpo-32613: Update window FAQ #5552 [3.7] bpo-32613: Update window FAQ (GH-5552). #10544 [3.6] bpo-32613: Update window FAQ (GH-5552). #10545

^{Note: these values reflect the state of the issue at the time it was migrated and might not reflect the current state.}

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GitHub fields:

assignee = 'https://github.com/JulienPalard'
closed_at = <Date 2018-11-14.17:20:01.853>
created_at = <Date 2018-01-21.22:07:09.948>
labels = ['easy', 'type-feature', '3.7', 'OS-windows', 'docs']
title = 'Use PEP 397 py launcher in windows faq'
updated_at = <Date 2018-11-14.17:20:01.852>
user = 'https://github.com/JulienPalard'

bugs.python.org fields:

activity = <Date 2018-11-14.17:20:01.852>
actor = 'mdk'
assignee = 'mdk'
closed = True
closed_date = <Date 2018-11-14.17:20:01.853>
closer = 'mdk'
components = ['Documentation', 'Windows']
creation = <Date 2018-01-21.22:07:09.948>
creator = 'mdk'
dependencies = []
files = []
hgrepos = []
issue_num = 32613
keywords = ['patch', 'easy']
message_count = 7.0
messages = ['310385', '310797', '311669', '311670', '329912', '329917', '329918']
nosy_count = 8.0
nosy_names = ['terry.reedy', 'paul.moore', 'tim.golden', 'zach.ware', 'steve.dower', 'matrixise', 'mdk', 'miss-islington']
pr_nums = ['5552', '10544', '10545']
priority = 'low'
resolution = 'fixed'
stage = 'resolved'
status = 'closed'
superseder = None
type = 'enhancement'
url = 'https://bugs.python.org/issue32613'
versions = ['Python 3.6', 'Python 3.7']

[JulienPalard]

The windows FAQ (https://docs.python.org/3.6/faq/windows.html) uses python to launch python, I think it should use the py python launcher from PEP-397.

[terryjreedy]

I am inclined to believe. The answer to "How do I run a Python program under Windows?" should include how to use 'py'. 'python' will not work unless the install directory has been added to the path. Of course, 'py' does not work if its installation is unchecked.

The answer also has a box with a useless link (503 Service Unavailable) to a video 'Python Development on XP' that includes adding 'python' to the path. 3.5+ do not run on xp. This should be removed.

[matrixise]

Just for my info, what's the origin of 'py' ? and why does 'py' exists?

[JulienPalard]

The py command come from PEP-397, its rational will be more verbose than me 1, but in a nutshell it's a wrapper trying to find the right python according to some heuristics like the shebang.

[JulienPalard]

New changeset 6431347 by Julien Palard in branch 'master':
bpo-32613: Update window FAQ (GH-5552)
6431347

[miss-islington]

New changeset 9053d2f by Miss Islington (bot) (Julien Palard) in branch '3.7':
[3.7] bpo-32613: Update window FAQ (GH-5552). (GH-10544)
9053d2f

[miss-islington]

New changeset 137da0c by Miss Islington (bot) (Julien Palard) in branch '3.6':
[3.6] bpo-32613: Update window FAQ (GH-5552). (GH-10545)
137da0c