I got the "Using Python on maemo" document" but it's a bit old and mentions what is needed to be installed to use Python on Chinook. But what needs to be installed on Diable? Is everything that is needed already in the Diablo OS?

You shouldn't need to install python, really. It's in maemo extras, so any application that uses it will install python2.5 (the base python package) automatically. Also, chinook and diablo are basically the same when it comes to things like this...

it's usually installed with another app like canola, pygtkeditor, or gpodder. but i think it was already on diablo. i believe the first thing i did was drop to term and run python to sdee if it'd work.

i think the instructions on that doc are for scratchbox and not the device itself.

Thanks for the help you guys.
What is scratchbox?

scratchbox is an environment you set up in linux to compile and test applications. it's like a virtual IT. for python, it's not strictly necessary; but it helps.
btw, do you know if python is on your tablet yet? if not, go to xterm, and type python. that'll bring up the interpreter and tell you what version you have. should be >2.5

If you're going the scratchbox route, you should install the python sdk.
I just found this:
Developing Python Applications for maemo

I just installed scratchbox using the 4.1 instructions. And the intruction in the link above do not work. when I run "fakeroot apt-get install python2.5-sdk" I get "couldn't find package python2.5-sdk". I have to add a repository, I think.

I don't know what to do now.

Been away for a few days on this incredible website http://www.rejaw.com, it totally sucked me in...
Anyway MattZTexasu, I did what you said in XTerm and Python 2.5.2 is installed on my Diablo N810. But I don't know if it was there in the beginning cause I installed gpodder, etc. which supposedly installPython.

Up to now I believed that to develop for the N810 in Python, I had to use the Maemo SDK (Scratchbox) on a Linux PC. Therefore I was about to install Ubuntu on an unused PC, install the Maemo SDK and also install Python. On this Ubuntu/Maemo/Python PC which emulates the N810, I would develop and test and debug an application before installing the final app on the N810.

BUT....

After more research I found out that I can use my Windows machine (or a Mac) and develop Python apps without requiring Linux (Ubuntu) nor the Maemo SDK. All I need is: 1. the Eclipse Dev platform which runs on Windows and Macs. 2. the Pluthon Plugin for Eclipse that is for developing Python apps for Maemo. This will allow me to actually develop and debug application directly on the Internet Tablet.

Does anybody know about Eclipse and Pluthon? Although I haven't read much on this forum, I've never seen any info about Eclipse and Pluthon here.

Contrary I think to what has been mentioned here, python is not being installed automatically from the Extras. I've tried installing several programs that will not install, because it says missing python 2.5 - examples are datable, tip calculator

I'm using n810, diablo 4.2008.30-2
Tried installing python manually from the instructions I found on the pymaemo website, complains of missing libssl0.9.7