python Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>

[George Planansky]

Using python 1.5.2, from the freeware.sgi.com Nov 99
collection, on irix 6.5, gets:

% python
Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
Python 1.5.2 (#1, Aug 26 1999, 00:12:37) [C] on irix6-n32

Python is in /usr/freeware/bin, various libs are in 
/usr/freeware/lib and /usr/freeware/lib/python, 
so prefix and exec_prefix would seem to be /usr/freeware.  

Par however shows python looking under /usr/freeware/bin/lib 
for some libraries.  

Setting PYTHONHOME to various plausible values seems to make
no difference.

what's the cure?
-- 
george_planansky at harvard.edu