Thanks for the 'meaty' response. Therein was the nitty-gritty I could actually use. Learned a bunch too...had never used a link before. Didn't know why I would want to. BTW, I met with HUGE success!
Anyway...my approach was to take the road of a user (with my own '/home' account, and no SU privileges. That only went so far. I installed the new Python (2.5.1) in a directory within my home that I called, incisively, '/usrlowell'. Therein I opened up the .tgz file, and got as far as 'make', when it required me to have SU privileges (so much for the theory that I could do all I wished within my own 'world'). That speed bump has undermined a number of concepts I thought I'd figured out-regarding autonomy for a user-so I don't know now what I don't know.). Long and the short of it, the 'make' and 'make install' continued in the /usr/bin environ (i.e., departed from my '/home' directories). I did not at first 'rm' the /usr/bin/python file-was too nervous to try it! What I did, though was go into my new dedicated /home/usrlowell/'newPythonPlace' directory, and found another file named 'python*'. On command line I entered ./python, and sure enough I got python 2.5.1. Wow! Then I went back to /usr/bin, erased the 'python' file, created a link to my dedicated (/home/etc...etc) file, and sure enough, "which python" continues to yield /usr/bin/python, but "python" brings up the new 2.5.1. The experience has shaken some of my established ideas of how Linux works, but it's been a great leap forward for me (as someone once said, "Do that which you are afraid to do"). Thanks for all the help. BTW, I think-with this post-I've figured out how to correctly reply within this tutor envronment. I THINK!? -----Original Message----- >From: bhaaluu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Oct 13, 2007 5:47 PM >To: LandSurveyor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Cc: [email protected] >Subject: Re: [Tutor] upgrading Python > >Greetings, >On my system I can have several python versions installed because >they install as python2.3, python2.4, etc. > >$ which python >/usr/bin/python >$ ls -l /usr/bin/python >... /usr/bin/python -> python2.4 > >Here, we can see that "python" is just a link to /usr/bin/python2.4 >So, I can install python 2.5, and simply change the link so when I >enter "python" at the prompt, it will start python2.5. > >$ man ln >ln [OPTION]... [-T] TARGET LINK_NAME (1st form) > >So, after installing python 2.5, change to /usr/bin, remove /usr/bin/python >$ cd /usr/bin >$ rm python > >And now make a new link to python2.5 (you may have to be root!): ># ln -s /usr/bin/python2.5 python > >If I'm not mistaken, the library files, and so forth are stored in different >directories, so installing a new version, won't corrupt an older version. >..../lib/python2.4/site-packages > >See how python 2.4 is in the python2.4 directory? > >If, for some reason, you want the other version, just start it with the >absolute pathname: >$ /usr/bin/python2.3 > >I hope this is helpful? I don't use Mandrake, so I'm unfamiliar with >its package manager, or how to do upgrades for it. The above are >generic *nix commands that should work with any distro. > >apt-get and Synaptic rock! =) >-- >b h a a l u u at g m a i l dot c o m >http://www.geocities.com/ek.bhaaluu/index.html > >On 10/13/07, LandSurveyor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> I wish to upgrade Python from the [Vers.] 2.3.4 that came packaged with my >> Mandrake 10.1 Linux OS to the current 2.5.1. The 'hash/bang' line of my >> python scripts is "#!/usr/bin/python". There are two files, both >> executables, in my /usr/bin directory; they are 1)python, and 2)python2.3. >> >> I just simply don't know what to do next!? The advise I can google to is >> typically overly generous, full of contradictions (sometime within the same >> post..."Well you can do this, but if you wanna do that instead..."). Well, >> I don't know why "I want to do this", or "do that instead". I just want to >> know where to put my new version of python, and when I unzip/configure/and >> so on..., will I end up with: >> >> 1)an application that will pick up seamlessly and run my apps? >> 2)will pythontutor still be available? >> 3)will I have an upgraded & accessible package of modules? >> 4)will I need to modify the "hash/bang" line? >> 5)when I type 'python' on a command line, how will I access the new 2.5.1 >> rather than the older version? i.e., where do I go to modify the results of >> that request? >> >> Oh, and could I-as I understand (to a limited degree) Linux- install the >> entire package within my home directory, following the principle that I am a >> user without admin privileges, and then change the "hash/bang" line to >> redirect to my 'embedded' version, and thus be running 2.5.1 within my own >> little world? And if I did so, the same questions persist. If I asked for >> a module, would I get the one from my 2.5.1, or the module that exists in >> the older 2.3.4? And when I entered 'python' from a command line (to access >> the interpreter) how would I get my 2.5.1 version, rather than the older >> 2.3.4. >> >> It's just amazing, the array of niggling little questions that no one thinks >> about, but that create unmountable stumbling blocks once they pop up in the >> middle of your path, isn't it!? But, they are enough to completely stop me >> in my tracks, and they are the nitty-gritty questions that no one seems to >> think important enough to address and clarify. >> >> Thanks, folks. >> _______________________________________________ >> Tutor maillist - [email protected] >> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor >> _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - [email protected] http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
