[Mailman-Users] Error: Distutils is not available or is incomplete for /usr/bin/python

[Hugh Esco]

My firts attempts to build mailman on a new server are
throwing the errors shown below.  Can anyone here please
advise me what it is I'm missing?  Thanks, 

-- Hugh 

This is a Debian machine running: 

hesco at motherjones:~$ dpkg -l | grep python
ii  python         2.3.5-2        An interactive high-level
object-oriented la 

ii  python-newt    0.51.6-20      A NEWT
module for Python 

ii  python2.3      2.3.5-3sarge1  An
interactive high-level object-oriented la 

ii  python2.4      2.4.1-2        An interactive high-level
object-oriented la 

ii  python2.4-dev  2.4.1-2        Header files and a static
library for Python 

ii  python2.4-setu 0.0.1.041214-1 Python Distutils
Enhancements 

------------------------------

motherjones:/var/mm/e/el06/mailman-2.1.8# ./mm_configure.sh
loading cache ./config.cache
checking for --with-python... no
checking for python... /usr/bin/python
checking Python interpreter... /usr/bin/python
checking Python version... 2.3.5
checking that Python has a working distutils... configure:
error:

***** Distutils is not available or is incomplete
for /usr/bin/python 

***** If you installed Python from RPM (or other package
manager) 

***** be sure to install the -devel package, or
install Python 

***** from source.  See README.LINUX for
details ./mm_configure.sh: line 2:

--with-python=/usr/bin/python: No such file or
directory ./mm_configure.sh: line 3: 

--with-username=cfmm: command not found ./mm_configure.sh:
line 4: 

--with-groupname=cfmm: command not found ./mm_configure.sh:
line 5: 

--with-mail-gid=104: command not found ./mm_configure.sh:
line 6: 

--with-cgi-gid=33: command not found ./mm_configure.sh:
line 7: 

--with-mailhost=us.example.org: command not
found ./mm_configure.sh: line 8:

--with-urlhost=us.example.org: command not found

-- 
Hugh Esco 
RCK Computer Services 
http://reclaimedcomputers.ca/