I am using a MacBook Pro that has Python 2.6.1 built into the command line terminal.

I am initially using a online book source to help guide me through python. The URL is attached.

http://oopweb.com/Python/Documents/easytut/VolumeFrames.html

The lesson I am having difficulty with is once I open a terminal I type the word "IDLE" which opens a python shell where I am able to run a program in the shell. I ran the program successfully and was then asked to open a new window. Well when I do open the new window the new window/shell and old window/shell or not working. I am unable to type any commands into the both windows/shells. I can only type in the terminal window but its unresponsive to any useful/real commands because I am in IDLE.

Does any one know why when I open a new window that python stops working?

If it helps I attached the two python shells that are locked. The top one is the first one I opened to run the code. Then the book says to open another window which i did and then the two windows become frozen.

 

You should be able to type in both windows. Whatever you type in the original window executes immediately, in the second window nothing happens until you select run from the menu.
If that isn't happening, try downloading a more recent version to see if it was some kind of bug. Apart from that I can't really help, I use Ubuntu and I'm a Python noob.