Python installation challenge

[skip at pobox.com]

    Evan> ...  've tried to install from source, and I've tried to install
    Evan> with apt-get, but no matter which method I use, my installation is
    Evan> crippled.  When I try to install Python 2.6.2 or 2.6.1, the
    Evan> installer warns me that it has failed to install zlib and
    Evan> binascii.

Do you have the zlib -dev package installed?  If not, you need it.  Dunno if
that will affect binascii installation.  Pick through the setup.py file
looking for binascii.  See what header files it's looking for.

-- 
Skip Montanaro - skip at pobox.com - http://www.smontanaro.net/
    America's vaunted "free press" notwithstanding, story ideas that expose
    the unseemly side of actual or potential advertisers tend to fall by the
    wayside.  Not quite sure why.  -- Jim Thornton