Error during ./configure for Python 2.3.1 and 2.3.4

[Ben Feldman]

To Whom it May Concern:

I am trying to install Python from its source code.  I downloaded the
python 2.3.1 source file from the PyRAF website, but did not work.  I
then went to the Python website and downloaded python 2.3.4.  I gunzipped 
the file, and then used a tar -xvf command on it.  However, after using
the command, ./configure, I got the following error message for both
versions of Python (embedded in what seemed like normal output):

checking term.h usability... no
checking term.h presence... yes
configure: WARNING: term.h: present but cannot be compiled
configure: WARNING: term.h: check for missing prerequisite headers?
configure: WARNING: term.h: proceeding with the preprocessor's result
configure: WARNING:     ## ------------------------------------ ##
configure: WARNING:     ## Report this to address@hidden ##
configure: WARNING:     ## ------------------------------------ ##
checking for term.h... yes

In addition, at the end of the ./configure, the following (seemingly
unrelated) error message was given:

configure: creating ./config.status
config.status: creating Makefile.pre
config.status: creating Modules/Setup.config
config.status: error: cannot find input file: Modules/Setup.config.in

I looked in the Modules folder and it is empty, rather than having a
Setup.config.in file.  If you know to solve the bugs so that I can
install Python, any help would be appreciated.

Ben