For Python 2.3 installed on Windows (well, Windows 
2000 anyway, I haven't tested others), a space in the 
pathname will create an shortcut to IDLE that does not 
work.

To demonstrate the problem: get a fresh Windows 2000 
system. Run the Python 2.3 installer. Select "C:/Program 
Files/Python23" as the install directory. Use default 
selections for all other installer options. After install, go 
to Programs menu, select "Python 2.3" > "IDLE (Python 
GUI)". It will launch a pythonw process, but nothing will 
appear on the screen.

The problem appears to be the space in the pathname. 
If you create a shortcut with the path spelled out in full 
(long names not 8-char abreviations) and with quotes 
around the pathnames that contain spaces, that 
shortcut will work.

I'm not sure what the fix is, but regretably lots of people 
have Windows and many of them put their applications 
in "Program Files". In addition to a patch, we should 
probably put this in a Known Bugs list somewhere where 
newbies will find it (where is that?).