Getting started w/ Python on the desktop

I'm interested in getting started w/ developing Python based applications for a desktop environment and have a few (seemingly simple) questions:

1. What is the best method for developing GUI applications? I've seen several frameworks but the indexes I've found are a bit convoluted and mix (what seem to be) legacy packages. In your opinion, what is the best approach in this regard?
2. I've been reading a few books I recently p开发者_JAVA百科icked up, but have been having trouble finding (rather, recognizing) a decent 'getting started' tutorial that focuses on Python apps for the desktop. Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks very much in advance! :)

1. wxPython is the best GUI framework.
2. The official docs are the best resource. They helped me quite a bit.

Have you considered Iron Python as an option? It's basically the Python language on top of the .NET Framework. Having been fortunate enough to work with the .NET Framework in the past on desktop-applications, I can attest to its depth of excellent.

wxPython is a phenomenal GUI toolkit for developing native applications. I highly recommend it. Also, if you combine it with py2exe you can create .exe files for running on Windows.

easyGUI and Tkinter are VERY easy libraries that can be used with Python to make GUIs. Further, as stealthdragon has suggested, you can use py2exe to compile your GUIs into EXEs for your PC. There are also other compilers such as pyc.

As Jonathan Sampson suggests, you might consider using IronPython and use it to wield the full power of the .NET framework. The IronPython Cookbook, which among other things shows you how to make a basic Twitter Client.