[Spambayes] install error -- python or spambayes?

[Peter]

Response to 
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/spambayes/2005-May/017045.html

Setup gives error:
_"$ python setup.py install
running install
error: invalid Python installation: unable to 
open /usr/lib/python2.3/config/Makefile (No such file or directory)"

AMD K6-2 at 533, 392 mb
Mepis3.3.1   hd install
Python 2.3.5 
Distutils are installed.
I'm a complete LInux newbie.

Same error in 1.1.a1 and 1.0.4, and on this page 
http://mail.python.org/pipermail/spambayes/2005-July/017645.html
He's using Mandrake.

> I'm trying to install spambayes 1.0.4 in a *nix account, and there
> seems to be a reasonable installation of python 2.3 on the machine. 
> Nonetheless, after unzipping and de-tarring the source code, I get the
> following error:
> 
>     % python setup.py install
>     running install
>     error: invalid Python installation: unable to open
> /usr/lib/python2.3/config/Makefile (No such file or directory)

Comment on prior response- FWIW, I HAVE Distutils installed, and it still 
doesn't work.  My impression-just from using lots of software, that is, a 
user- is that it's a problem in PYTHON.  That is, there's no consistent way 
to let the OS know where python keeps things, so there's no way to write 
scripts that always work. Or the script is calling a 'makefile' program 
that's been replaced.  

Prior response
"I believe (Googling seems to back this up) that this means that you need to
install the python-devel (or however your system spells it) package to use
distutils.

(You can use SpamBayes without running setup.py, of course - just manually
put the spambayes package directory on the PYTHONPATH, and run the scripts
from wherever you like)."

HOW?   "Can I just copy the required files manually? If so, what files (or
directories) are needed to use spambayes with procmail (Kmail)?"
I don't know how to set or find the 'PYTHONPATH' to install spambayes 
manually- if someone does, would you please explain it?