new python install

[monkeys paw]

Upon invoking python, it hangs
until Ctrl^C is typed, and then the
>>> interactive shell begins.

Like so:

joemoney% python
Python 2.4.6 (#1, Dec 13 2009, 23:45:11) [C] on sunos5
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
# Hangs ^^^ at this point until ^C is typed
^C

>>>

I've seen this in other new installs and wondered if there is
a common problem that would cause this? It's on a sun os box

[Tim Chase]

Though I've never seen such live, perhaps you have some sort of
site-wide or user-specific config file such as ~/.pythonrc.py or
a site-wide site.py file. You can read up a bit at

http://docs.python.org/library/site.html
http://docs.python.org/library/user.html

I believe the way to test this is to start Python with either the
-s or -S option (or both) to disable looking for user or site
modules. Also check if you have some crazy value set for
$PYTHONSTARTUP.

http://docs.python.org/using/cmdline.html#cmdoption-S

My guess is that something in one of these places is triggering
the hang until you kill that with a ^C after which you get the
requested prompt.

Hope this helps,

-tkc