best way to install python modules on linux

[Fabian Braennstroem]

Hi Harry,

* Harry George <harry.g.george at boeing.com> wrote:
> Fabian Braennstroem <f.braennstroem at gmx.de> writes:
>
>> Hi,
>> 
>> I am pretty new to python and will use it mainly in
>> combination with scientific packages. I am running ubuntu
>> breezy right now and see that some packages are out of date.
>> Do you have any suggestion, how I can get/keep the latest
>> python modules (e.g. scipy, numpy,...) on my ubuntu system?
>> I.e. does there exist any script/program, which downloads
>> and installs automatically the latest stable releases of selected
>> modules? It would be nice, if the program can remove the
>> installed modules, too!?
>> 
>> Or would it be easier to stick to apt/deb and create own
>> packages ...
>> 
>> 
>> Greetings!
>>  Fabian
>> 
>
> I find it helpful to leave the as-delivered Python (e.g.,
> /usr/bin/python) as-is.  It is being used to run your basic Linux
> system.  Screwing around with it can have nasty side effects.  Instead
> I build a new one at /usr/local, give it a unique name, and
> upgrade/hack that one to my heart's content.  E.g., if the base system
> is using Python 2.2, you can be running Python 2.4 as
> /usr/local/bin/py24, and add all the numerical packages you wish at
> use/local/lib/python2.4/site-packages.  Also, make sure root doesn't
> have /usr/local/bin on its PATH (which is a good rule anyway).

Maybe, I should consider this, too. Thanks!

Greetings!
 Fabian