How can I install to a path under my home directory?
mkdir /home/masi/.local
cd Python-2.6.1
make clean
./configure --prefix=/home/masi/.local
make
make install
Then run using:
/home/masi/.local/bin/python
Similarly if you have scripts (eg. CGI) that require your own user version of Python you have to tell them explicitly:
#!/home/masi/.local/bin/python
instead of using the default system Python which “#!/usr/bin/env python” will choose.
You can alter your PATH setting to make just typing “python” from the console run that version, but it won’t help for web apps being run under a different user.
If you compile something that links to Python (eg. mod_wsgi) you have to tell it where to find your Python or it will use the system one instead. This is often done something like:
./configure --prefix=/home/masi/.local --with-python=/home/masi/.local
For other setup.py-based extensions like MySQLdb you simply have to run the setup.py script with the correct version of Python:
/home/masi/.local/bin/python setup.py install