[Pythonmac-SIG] Is this the correct way to have installed and to use Python 2.4

[Kenneth McDonald]

I just downloaded and installed the Tiger 2.4 Python mpkg (including
the fix afterwords), mainly so I could use Bob's great looking xattr
module. Bringing up 'python' in a terminal brings up 2.3.whatever, and
I assume that's because the version in /System/Library hasn't been
disturbed and is first on the default search path--please correct me
if I'm wrong.

What is the best (a subjective consideration, to be sure) to use
python 2.4 while making sure that I don't mess up the Apple-installed
version for anything important. Should I put /usr/local/bin on the
default path? Should I create a link to python 2.4 in /usr/bin, and if
so, should I replace the current 'python', or should I create a new
name like 'py' so that 2.3 is still accessible using 'python' on the
command line. What do I need to think about in terms of making sure
things I install in the future will be compiled against 2.4, and will
be available on the python path.

Thanks for all the help,
Ken