Installing Python on a 64-Bit OS

[Daniel Dittmar]

Nico Grubert wrote:
> I'd like to install Python 2.3.5. on a 64-Bit OS (Suse Linux Enterprise 
> Server 10) on an AMD Opteron 64-Bit machine.
> I have to use Python 2.3.5.
> 
> Do I need a special source archive or can I use "Python-2.3.5.tgz" from 
> http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.3.5/Python-2.3.5.tgz ?
> 
> Is there anything special I have to care about or is installing Python 
> on a 64 Bit OS just as easy as installing it on a 32-Bit OS?

On this platform, it should be easy to build from the sources as gcc 
builds 64 bit programs by default.

On some platforms (Solaris/Sparc, AIX, HP-UX/PA-RISC), the compiler 
defaults to 32bit programs. You then have to convince configure to use 
the right CFLAGS. The exact technique might differ from configure to 
configure: some require an option, some require an environment variable. 
Tip: create wrapper scripts for the compiler (and possibly ld and ar), 
which uses the proper options. Add the location of these scripts at the 
start of PATH, thus overiding the compiler. Now all configures will 
default to 64 bit.

Daniel