no. it's not just python, but a whole bunch of packages depending on one of the interpreters. you are breaking the ABI when changing the alternatives.
please get used to typing python2 or pyhton3. ** Changed in: python2.7 (Ubuntu) Status: New => Invalid ** Changed in: python3.5 (Ubuntu) Status: New => Invalid -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to python2.7 in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1718035 Title: python 3.5 and 2.7 don't provide update-alternatives Status in python2.7 package in Ubuntu: Invalid Status in python3.5 package in Ubuntu: Invalid Bug description: Python 3.5 and python 2.7 don't currently install themselves as alternatives. Furthermore, install packages that depend on python2 don't call python2 during their install process and instead call python. When architecting solutions that depend on python pointing to python3, this can cause problems installing updates and packages through apt as well. Python system should be updated to always call python2 or python3 and not generic python, and python3 and python2 should provide alternatives by default. lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS Release: 16.04 apt-cache policy python python3 python: Installed: 2.7.11-1 Candidate: 2.7.11-1 Version table: *** 2.7.11-1 500 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status python3: Installed: 3.5.1-3 Candidate: 3.5.1-3 Version table: *** 3.5.1-3 500 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status Expected behaviour: Install Python, Install Python 3. sudo update-alternatives --config python There are 3 choices for the alternative python (providing /usr/bin/python). Selection Path Priority Status ------------------------------------------------------------ 0 /usr/bin/python2.7 40 auto mode * 1 /usr/bin/python2.7 40 manual mode 2 /usr/bin/python3.5 40 manual mode 3 /usr/bin/python3.5m 30 manual mode Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 2 sudo apt-get install python-somepackagewhichusespython2; apt-get installs successfully here What actually happens: Install Python, Install Python 3. sudo update-alternatives --config python Some absurd message about python not being an alternative. sudo update-alternatives --install python /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python2.7 40 sudo update-alternatives --install python /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python3.5 40 sudo update-alternatives --install python /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python3.5m 30 sudo update-alternatives --config python There are 3 choices for the alternative python (providing /usr/bin/python). Selection Path Priority Status ------------------------------------------------------------ 0 /usr/bin/python2.7 40 auto mode * 1 /usr/bin/python2.7 40 manual mode 2 /usr/bin/python3.5 40 manual mode 3 /usr/bin/python3.5m 30 manual mode Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 2 sudo apt-get install python-somepackagewhichusespython2; apt-get just blatantly fails here because python points to python 3 now and someone didn't think to make them use python2 To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/python2.7/+bug/1718035/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp