Since you are comfortable with HTML, you could use the browser as your GUI, and use a lightweight python server like Karrigell (or CherryPy, or Turbogears) to serve the pages. A little javascript to move the highlighting around, and . . .
Well, frankly, it's still harder than it ought to be. (I agree with Steven, it sure seems like it has been long enough.) It's not totally dreadful, though, and it is free. Ron -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
