[Python-Dev] [Pydotorg] Should we help pythonmac.org?

[Fred Drake]

On Aug 19, 2008, at 3:45 AM, fuzzyman at mail2.webfaction.com wrote:
> I *thought* (relative Mac newbie), the standard advice was that if you
> want to install extension modules then you should install your own  
> version
> of Python and not mess with the system version.

My understanding is that if there is a system Python, you shouldn't  
change it.  Ever.

System Python's are for other components of the system; you can use  
them, but shouldn't modify them.  Including installing or updating  
packages in the site-packages directory.

At Zope Corporation, we use a clean Python for all development and  
deployments.  Nothing gets installed into the site-packages, because  
different applications want different packages (or different  
versions), and we want to deploy with what we test with.

> Meaning that you have to maintain two Python installs - something that
> hasn't been a problem for me yet. So even if Mac OS ships with  
> Python 2.6,
> many users will still want to install their own version.

Indeed.  I've never had to do anything to maintain the system Python  
on Mac OS X.  It's there, Mac OS X does what it will with it, and I  
use my private (and squeaky clean!) Python installations.


   -Fred

-- 
Fred Drake   <fdrake at acm.org>