Remove 1 version of Python in Ubuntu
Question: So apparently I have 2 Pythons (same version) installed in different
folders...one is in `/usr/bin/` and the other one is in `/usr/local/bin` but
the one the shell uses when I type in `python` is the one in `/usr/local/bin`.
I'd like to use the `/usr/bin/` version because is the one that works with
many imports I've been dealing with such as `numpy`,`matplotlib` and
`Tkinter`.

I've tried using `pyenv` but with this I cannot run `Tkinter` because
`Tkinter` is installed only for the `/usr/bin/` version.

  * Is there a safe way I can delete/uninstall one of those versions without breaking my whole Ubuntu?

  * Is there a way to tell the shell to use the `/usr/bin/` version of Python?

  * Is there a way I can install `python-tk` for any `envpy` version? Something like `sudo apt-get install python-tk in-desired-folders` or similar?

Answer for any of those 3 questions would solve my problem, I think.

Thank you all in advice!


Answer: If these two Python installations are identical (same Python version), there
is no reason you can't use the Python packages installed for one version with
the other. You'd just have to adjust your `PYTHONPATH`:

    
    
    export PYTHONPATH=/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages
    

or variants thereof, depending where exactly the standard (system) Python has
installed its packages.

You can find the latter by starting that Python explicitly, and looking at
`sys.path`. On my Ubuntu system, for example:

    
    
    > /usr/bin/python
    Python 2.7.6 (default, Jun 22 2015, 17:58:13)
    [GCC 4.8.2] on linux2
    Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
    >>> import sys
    >>> sys.path
    ['', '/usr/lib/python2.7', '/usr/lib/python2.7/plat-x86_64-linux-gnu', '/usr/lib/python2.7/lib-tk', '/usr/lib/python2.7/lib-old', '/usr/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload', '/home/evert/.local/lib/python2.7/site-packages', '/usr/local/lib/python2.7/dist-packages', '/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages']
    

and my `PYTHONPATH` should be set to

    
    
    export PYTHONPATH=/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages
    

instead.

* * *

Alternatively, and perhaps even easier, just create an alias to the Python you
want to use (just don't name the alias `python`; it will sow lots of
confusion):

    
    
    alias py2=/usr/bin/python
    

and use that instead.

In either case, no need to remove anything in `/usr/local/` (or even putting
`/usr/bin/` at the front of your `PATH`); you just move the /usr/local
directory/Python out of your way.

