[Numpy-discussion] Which Python to Use on OSX, Was: 1.1.0 OSX Installer Fails Under 10.5.3?

[Tommy Grav]

You have to very careful when you do this. For example
the system numpy is in ../python2.5/Extras/lib/ under the
framework, while I think the numpy binary installer installs
things in ../python2.5/lib/site-packages/. So if one is not
careful one ends up with two numpy packages with all
the problems that can cause.

I have installed Activepython on my machine (PPC w/ 10.5.3)
and it has worked more or less flawlessly. The system python
is still there and is untouched since I installed Leopard and
I do all my development against the activepython distribution.

Cheers
    Tommy


On Jun 4, 2008, at 6:02 AM, Vincent Noel wrote:

> Another way to do things which might be useful, if you're not afraid
> to modify the system python install, (more-or-less suggested at
> http://wiki.python.org/moin/MacPython/Leopard), is to create a
> symbolic link to make everything look as if you had installed
> macpython, ie
>
> sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/
> /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework
>
> Since, according to the MacPython page, the Leopard python is the same
> as the MacPython (2.5.1),
> all the packages you'll find on the web that suppose you have
> MacPython installed should be happy (easy_installing eggs works fine
> as well). HOWEVER you gotta add
>
> export PATH=/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/Current/ 
> bin:$PATH
> export PYTHONPATH=/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/ 
> Current/lib/python2.5/site-packages
>
> in your ~/.bash_profile, otherwise the (older) system numpy will get
> used. This is because the system python adds /System/.../2.5/Extras in
> front of the /site-packages directory (weird, but hey).
>
> Following this road, I was able to install NumPy 1.1, matplotlib 0.98
> and ipython without any problem -- the best thing is that the system
> wxPython is used, when it can be a PITA to setup correctly through
> other ways. As was said by others, I guess there might be unforeseen
> consequences, but everything seems to work fine for now.
>
> Cheers
> Vincent
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 10:25 AM, J. Stark <j.stark at imperial.ac.uk>  
> wrote:
>> Robert,
>>
>> I see your point, but why not just install a separate NumPy to run
>> with the system Python? That is what I have always done in the past
>> without problems.
>>
>> I guess I always feel a sense of uncertainty with having two separate
>> Python installations as to which actually gets used in any particular
>> situation. I appreciate that for experts who use Python daily, this
>> isn't an issue, but for someone like myself who may have gaps of
>> several months between projects that use Python, this is a real issue
>> as I forget those kinds of subtleties.
>>
>> J.
>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 1:48 AM, J. Stark <j.stark at imperial.ac.uk>  
>>> wrote:
>>>> On this topic, I would be interested to hear people's advice on  
>>>> using
>>>> the system provided Python v an independent install. In 25 years of
>>>> using Macs I have learned through several painful lessons that its
>>>> wise to customize the system as little as possible: this minimizes
>>>> both conflicts and reduces problems when doing system upgrades. I
>>>> have therefore always used the default Python provided by OSX, so  
>>>> far
>>>> with no obvious disadvantages for the types of scripts I use
>>>> (primarily home written SciPy scientific code). However, I note  
>>>> that
>>>> many people run either the pythomac.org distribution, or the
>>>> ActiveState. What are the advantages to this?
>>>
>>> By installing a separate Python, you are actually customizing the
>>> system *less* than if you used the system Python and installed a  
>>> bunch
>>> of extra packages. Parts of Apple's software uses the system Python.
>>> If you upgrade packages inside there (like numpy!) you might run  
>>> into
>>> problems.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Robert Kern
>>>
>>> "I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a  
>>> harmless
>>> enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret  
>>> it as
>>> though it had an underlying truth."
>>> -- Umberto Eco
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