Thanks for your comments.

I also expect the problem is the interation of Python with Windows, but
whether they fault lies by Python or Windows I cannot say.

I can say that the problem seems to come and go away.  Last night it did not
work. This morning it did. A few minutes ago it did.  Now it does not.

 I have to my knowledge a standard installation.  Checking Google, which is
where I started in looking for a solution, shows that the error message has
occured for other people as well.

Again any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks.

On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 2:25 AM, R. David Murray <report@bugs.python.org>wrote:

>
> R. David Murray <rdmurray@bitdance.com> added the comment:
>
> Perhaps Terry will have some advice (I've added him as nosy), but you may
> have better luck asking on the python mailing list (see mail.python.orgfor list of lists) or its linked newsgroup comp.lang.python, or on the
> #python irc channel (though they may tell you to dump Idle, depending on who
> is in channel at the time :)
>
> It is not likely that what you are experiencing is an actual bug in Ptyhon,
> since Idle on windows works for lots of people.  However understanding your
> problem and its solution might help us make the Idle experience more
> friendly, so I'll leave it to Terry to decide how he wants to handle this.
>
> ----------
> nosy: +r.david.murray
>
> _______________________________________
> Python tracker <report@bugs.python.org>
> <http://bugs.python.org/issue10722>
> _______________________________________
>