[fsug-bangalore] [tech] Re-setting Debian default python version

[Rakesh 'arky' Ambati]

Hi Abhas,

--- Abhas Abhinav <abhas at deeproot.co.in> wrote:
> Or is it that certain packages on Sid specify
> python2.3 as a dependency
> and so you need to maintain both python2.3 *and*
> python2.4 on your
> machine and you don't like that? 

Yes, Being a minimalist and not being a python lover I
better stick with one run-time only. There is
'Python2.4' native package available in Debian Sid but
most of the packages (podracer,alsa-utils,python-apt)
that require python environment depends on package
'python' which depends on python2.3. 

$ apt-cache show python

Package: python
Version: 2.3.5-5
Depends: python2.3 (>= 2.3.5-1)
Description: An interactive high-level object-oriented
language (default version)
 Python, the high-level, interactive object oriented
language,
 includes an extensive class library with lots of
goodies for
 network programming, system administration, sounds
and graphics.
 .
 This package is a dependency package, which depends
on Debian's default
 Python version (currently v2.3).


>In that case you
> can try making a dummy
> package that "provides" python2.3. This will ensure
> that any package
> that checks for python2.3 dependency sees it and
> installs just fine -
> while it actually uses the python2.4 runtime.

As the others packages like
(podracer,alsa-utils,python-apt) depends on 'python' I
made a dummy of that one.  
(Discussed in detail here
http://bangalore.gnu.org.in/cgi-bin/ezmlm-browse?list=fsug-bangalore&cmd=showthread&month=200602&threadid=jaabkjgncnpipojnppaf
)	


$ apt-cache show python

Package: python
Status: hold ok installed
Priority: standard
Section: python
Installed-Size: 36
Maintainer: Arky <arky at gnu.org.in>
Architecture: all
Version: 2.3.5-5-1
Description: Arky's Dummy equivs package for python


Thanks Abhas for providing your valuable insights, its
my belief that your GNU/Linux distro should give you
enough freedom to be snob ;o) . And that's the reason
am using Debian. 

Cheers