The interface is quite different, and takes considerable getting used to. I got the blender 2.3 guide, which is a helpful book. Many have a hard time with blender. However, it's free and certainly worth a long look.

Blender is 'open-source', released under the gpl, which requires changes to the source code to be freely available.

I do believe python can be compiled.
http://docs.python.org/lib/compiler.html

Quote - In that menu up there somewhere.. you can also click a button that says 'emulate key pad'.  That changes the upper number buttons so they perform the function the keypad use to do...

Thank you !!

Quote - That might draw a lot more attention.

I think we should closely hold our little secret, just among friends ...