Multiple versions of python installed?

[Lambo]

I have been trying to learn python using the 2.6 version.
Lately I have been thinking of installing version 3.1.
Many of my apps are not working under version 3.1 due to the changes they implemented (like the print function).
My question, I guess is ...
Can I have two versions of python existing on the same machine?
If so, can I expect any issues to come from it?
And if its not a good idea to have two python versions installed....Should I make the switch to 3.1?
Is it better for a noob like me to be learning on Python 2.6 or 3.1?

[Alter Lobo]

You can have multiple versions installed and the implications vary according to the OS.

In Linux since many programs depend on the default python version they would be broken if you changed the default to another one. You can use another version, just don't change the default one.

In Windows there are no dependencies that I know of. So you can change the default version.

Mac OS X probably has the same dependencies as Linux has so same approach.

That said, not all libraries have been ported to 3.1 so using it in a production environment is now a bad idea. Wait for some months or a year for it to be production ready.

About what is best for someone just starting. We are right in the middle of the change and he will probably take a while to get up to speed so 3.1 could be the better choice. Personally I won't care about 3.1 for at least a year, probably more, as 2.6 works great and many of the 3.x features were back ported.

[Lambo]

Thanx, for the reponse.
I am duel booting at the moment with XP and OpenSuSE.
I decided to leave python on linux alone and keep 2.6.
On windows I installed python 3.1 so I guess that will work for me.
I guess even though 3.1 isn't fully ironed out yet ..I'll use it while I am trying to learn.