[Tutor] upgrading Python

[bhaaluu]

On 10/14/07, LandSurveyor <chiselchip at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Long and the short of it, the 'make' and 'make install' continued in the /usr/bin environ (i.e., departed from my '/home' directories).  I did not at first 'rm' the /usr/bin/python file-was too nervous to try it!  What I did, though was go into my new dedicated /home/usrlowell/'newPythonPlace' directory, and found another file named 'python*'.  On command line I entered ./python, and sure enough I got python 2.5.1.  Wow!  Then I went back to /usr/bin, erased the 'python' file, created a link to my dedicated (/home/etc...etc) file, and sure enough, "which python" continues to yield /usr/bin/python, but "python" brings up the new 2.5.1.
>
> The experience has shaken some of my established ideas of how Linux works, but it's been a great leap forward for me (as someone once said, "Do that which you are afraid to do").
>
> Thanks for all the help.   BTW, I think-with this post-I've figured out how to correctly reply within this tutor envronment.  I THINK!?

Linus Torvalds designed Linux with one objective: FUN.
The cool thing about GNU/Linux is: if something breaks,
you get to keep BOTH halves. =)  ALL the source code
is available, from the first assembly language bits, all
the way up to the meaty stuff, like X-Windows, and everything
in between, and on top of, and behind.
GNU/Linux is a programmer's heaven.
It is infinitely extensible, and configurable.

Why people even give MS any mind-share is beyond me....
(Well, other than they maintain an illegal monopoly...
but we won't go there.)

Python is free and completely open.
Python and Linux were started about the same time (c.1991);
so they are like, the same age, more or less. =)

There are over 200 different Linux LiveCDs available, customized
for all sorts of different things. They are bootable. When they boot,
they create a RAM-disk, and run from that. So the hard drive is
not touched. Apps are dynamically uncompressed and loaded from
CD into the RAM-disk (a small performance hit here, when running
from LiveCD), but otherwise, the Linux LiveCDs are an excellent way
to test drive GNU/Linux, try it out, look at Free Software, and become
familiar with it. After all, familiarity is what makes MS-Windows seem so
easy. Once you become familiar with GNU/Linux, you find it is much
easier than MS-Windows! (I always feel like I'm chained to a huge steel
ball when I have to use a MS-Windows PC - that's how kludgey it its).

FrozenTech has a pretty good list of Linux LiveCDs.
Python is *usually* installed by default on a LiveCD.
Some popular Linux LiveCDs:
Knoppix
SimplyMEPIS
Kubuntu
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