Python vs. Fedora and CentOS

[John Nagle]

Michael Torrie wrote:
> On 05/31/2010 05:13 AM, Jason D wrote:
>> There is however never been an issue to locate different version of python 
>> in your system as you deem fit without problems. 
>> So I dont understand why your concern.
> 
> Actually, replacing python on RHEL is a major endeavor.  Almost all Red
> Hat utilities are written in python and depend on the specific system
> version of python that they shipped.  Thus if you want to upgrade python
> you're going to break 80% of the system.
> 
> Sure you can install Python from source alongside the system python, but
> that's a maintenance nightmare for system administrators.  

    There's something to be said for having all versions of Python installed
as "python2.4", "python2.6", "python3.1", etc., with the name "python"
simply being a link to the favored version.   Maybe that should be
the default.  The Python Windows installers already work that way; they
create "\python26", etc. directories.  The Linux installers, by
default, want to install as "python".

    Add-on RPMs should be set up for versioned install. Then you can
safely install alternate versions.  I gather that "iuscommunity.org" 
distributions do something like this.

				John Nagle