pip/pip3 confusion and keeping up to date

[Jon Ribbens]

On 2023-11-02, Chris Green <cl at isbd.net> wrote:
> Jon Ribbens <jon+usenet at unequivocal.eu> wrote:
>> On 2023-11-02, Chris Green <cl at isbd.net> wrote:
>> > I have a couple of systems which used to have python2 as well as
>> > python3 but as Ubuntu and Debian verions have moved on they have
>> > finally eliminated all dependencies on python2.
>> >
>> > So they now have only python3 and there is no python executable in
>> > PATH. 
>> >
>> > There's still both /usr/bin/pip and /usr/bin/pip3 but they're
>> > identical so presuably I can now simply use pip and it will be a
>> > python3 pip.
>> >
>> >
>> > So, going on from this, how do I do the equivalent of "apt update; apt
>> > upgrade" for my globally installed pip packages?
>> 
>> I'm not sure what that question has to do with everything that preceded
>> it, but you don't want to install python packages globally using pip.
>> Either install them with 'apt', or install them in a virtual environment.
>
> Why in a virtual environment?  When I install a package whether from
> apt or from pip I want everyone/everything on my system to be able to
> use it.

Because pip barely plays well by itself, let alone with other package
managers at the same time.

> I do only install a few things using pip.

Are they not available in your system's package manager?
I guess you might get away with "sudo -H pip install -U foo"
for a couple of things, if they don't have many dependencies.