[SciPy-user] As requested, a the OSX install odyssey

[Travis Oliphant]

Frank wrote:

>In response to Ed's request of me several days ago, this seems like a  
>good time (recalling Felis' recent trouble with the scipy_core  
>install on OSX) to relate my troubles with the scipy install on OSX.
>
>  
>
My impression is that a lot of trouble with install is actually the 
instructions for older versions of both Numeric and scipy being used and 
followed for the new scipy install.    I hear a lot of noise from people 
who are having trouble, but it is hard to dissect exactly what is wrong 
that we can fix besides "I followed the wrong set of instructions."  I 
agree that there is a bit of confusion out there because of the dated 
website (I think Andrew is heroically fixing that problem).   Remember 
that google is your friend (as long as you throw away information from 
longer than about 3 months ago).

I'm very interested in and excited to see all the instructions that are 
coming forward on the "keys" to successful building of the package on 
the various platform.  Building a software package is never trivial.  
The distutils try to help but they are not a cureall for getting the 
right prequisites and having clean places to install the final result. 

>Before I go on, I should say that I ultimately had no trouble  
>installing from the newly updated instructions at Chris' site after I  
>deleted the directory (thank you, Robert):
>  
>
This is good to know.  Good instructions are very helpful for the 
newcomer.  I think the gcc 3.3 requirement is very important to tell 
people about.  It would be nice to know what the problem is with gcc 4.0 
so that perhaps it can be fixed.

>I hope I don't sound unappreciative. SciPy is truly great and I look  
>forward to supporting its further development via spreading the word  
>and contributing when I can.
>  
>
I really think a new webpage will fix this, but fixing the web page has 
been out of my control.  Hopefully the old website (with all of its 
dated instructions) will disappear very soon.   We are in transition and 
the confusion is hard.  It should clear up in a few months. 

-Travis