Installing new version, erasing previous versions of Python

[David Smith]

I currently have Python 2.2 and 2.3.4 installed.  I want to install Python 2.4,
and erase 2.3.4, but retain 2.2, for I need it for my connectivity program.

According to the the documentation:

If you have a previous installation of Python that you don't want to replace
yet, use

	make altinstall

the same set of files as "make install" except it doesn't create the hard link
to "python<version>" named "python" and it doesn't install the manual page at
all."

And prior to this, it says:

All subdirectories created will have Python's version number in their
name, e.g. the library modules are installed in
"/usr/local/lib/python<version>/" by default, where <version> is the
<major>.<minor> release number (e.g. "2.1").  The Python binary is
installed as "python<version>" and a hard link named "python" is
created.  The only file not installed with a version number in its
name is the manual page, installed as "/usr/local/man/man1/python.1"
by default.


If I understand the above correctly, 1) "make install" and "make altinstall" use
the same process, the only difference being the man page update, and the hard
link, and 2) that previous versions of python are not deleted.  Therefore I
should be able to install 2.4 without deleting 2.2.2.  If I wish to delete
2.3.4, I have to rm -r the appropriate directories.  Any caveats?  Is there any
crosstalk between 2.2.2 and 2.4 modules?  Thank you.
-- 
David Smith
1845 Purdue Ave #3
Los Angeles Calif 90025-5592
(310) 478-8050