Python by RPM -> bad idea?

[Paul]

I'm having problems, and I think they stem from my installing Python 
originally through the use of an RPM.  

By using an RPM, I get not /config directory with a Makefile, which sounds 
reasonable enough, as I didn't compile anything.

The issue then is that when installing add on modules by distutils 
instructions, I get an error message that no Makefile exists.

Seeing this, I assumed that by installing Python initially by RPM, my 
Add-On's have to be by RPM as well.  I tried that for mysql-python, but 
there is no RPM I can find for Python 2.1, only 1.5...  

I tried copying the install from a 1.5 directory to the 2.1, but when I 
then try to use the module it complains of mismatching APIs - which I 
believe is the module looking for one version of Python, and seeing another.

Does this sound about right?  Should I uninstall Python, and re-install 
from a .....tar.gz ?    All I want is to talk to a MySQL database..........

Does any of this make sense?  Am I making sense?  I'm starting to 
wonder......

Thanks in advance,

Paul