Thanks for all the help. Thought I'd spend my newbie days right in the Python shell (there's lots to test when you're just starting) but I guess that's not going to happen.
Everyone told me to get out of the Python shell, one way or another. OK. But this means that every execution must first load Python, then import my stuff. Import becoming a NOP after first use in the shell is a six-legged feature, at best. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list