I have recently discovered Portable Python as a very interesting tool. I am a linux user, and I am frutstrated when I come to machines that does not come "battery included".
This is cool because it's non obtrusive : I don't want to install Python in any windows that passed in my hands...
But I don't know if it's reliable. If I make a product exhibition with it, would it be risky ?
From the Download page:
Important!
This is beta software and it is NOT recomended for production environments. Recomended use is for development/showcasing/experimenting.
On the other hand, if you're doing product exhibition, you'll be doing it on a machine that you can test with before hand and make sure that everything works as expected.
Do you want to make a portable demo of some python code? The better solution is to use Py2Exe or a similar tool and make a portable executable.
You may want to check out web2py. The windows executable includes python and does run without installation for example from a usb drive, like portable python. But it includes more goodies such as a web server, web based editor and plug and play web applications.
web2py is stable (currently version 1.46)
web2py exposes a python shell
web2py.exe -S yourappname -M
There is also a web based python shell available.
There is another alternative: Movable Python
From its web site:
Movable Python is a distribution of Python for Windows that doesn't need to be installed. It easily fits onto a USB memory stick or flash drive. Python on a stick. Smile
It includes an IDE and many common Python extensions, to make Movable Python a portable Build, Test, and Run environment. It has a nice GUI to launch programs and control its behaviour.
I have been using Portable Python for about 3 months and have had no problems with it. You don't get the features of Movable Python but Portable Python is free.
I have it on a thumbdrive that I take to work (Windows computers) so I can work on projects there. Then I can take it home and import the projects into Linux/Mac for refinement.
I have installed wxPython, wxGlade, and portable Django on the thumbdrive also, creating an all-in-one Python development environment.
I think ActivePython might be a better fit for what you're trying to do. It comes as a zip file that is easily usable on any Windows machine, is available for versions from 1.6 through 3.1, and doesn't carry any kind of "we'll eat a puppy if you use this in production" disclaimer.