[Pythonmac-SIG] not "MacPython" - right place?

[Bob Ippolito]

On Jul 20, 2005, at 9:35 AM, William K wrote:

>
>
>>> I figured it out, partly.  While the site-packages is linked to / 
>>> Library/Python, headers are still put into the /System/Library  
>>> Python framework.  So I used --install-headers=/Library/Python/ 
>>> 2.3/site-include.  Is there a standard name for a site headers  
>>> folder in /Library/Python?
>>>
>>> The problem is, there is no option in bdist to specify an install- 
>>> headers location, at least not in the package I'm looking at  
>>> (Numeric).
>>>
>>>
>>
>> If you put the headers anywhere else, they're useless because  
>> nothing will find them.  Take the purist hat off, or install a non- 
>> System distro of Python (e.g. Python 2.4.1).
>>
>>
> Is that a Python thing, or a slipup by Apple in their distro of  
> Python?  That seems a bit limiting if you can put libraries/modules  
> where you want, but force headers to be in one location to be  
> usable (while still letting you install them anywhere).

Both.  You *could* put them somewhere else, I guess, but then you'd  
need to set up a distutils config file in your home dir and probably  
deal with some packages that still expect it to be in Python's  
include dir.  It's just not worth the trouble.

You should really be using Python 2.4.1 anyway.  More features, less  
bugs, faster.

>> unless you really want to do things yourself, the best bet is to  
>> first
>> look and see if the package you need is at:
>>
>> www.pythonmac.org/packages
>>
>
> No Numeric for Tiger.

All the 10.3 packages work on 10.4, just not vice versa.

>> If it does worry you so much, then install Python 2.4.1, which places
>> its files in /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework and be done with  
>> it.
>>
>
> You mean MacPython, right?  Is there a separate MacPython installer  
> for Tiger?  The one I found (from March) says it's for Panther, and  
> I'm a bit cautious of installing something meant for Panther on  
> Tiger.  Are there any problems running that one on Tiger?

You only have to worry about the other way around.  Tiger things do  
not work on Panther.  Forwards compatibility is no problem.

-bob