title: Fedora Python Upgrade broke easy_install
body: <p>Fedora Core 9 includes Python 2.5.1.  I can use YUM to get latest and greatest releases.</p>
  
  <p>To get ready for 2.6 official testing, I wanted to start with 2.5.4.  It appears that there's no Fedora 9 YUM package, because 2.5.4 isn't an official part of FC9.</p>
  
  <p>I downloaded 2.5.4, did <code>./configure; make; make install</code> and wound up with two Pythons.  The official 2.5.1 (in <code>/usr/bin</code>) and the new 2.5.4. (in <code>/usr/local/bin</code>).</p>
  
  <p>None of my technology stack is installed in <code>/usr/local/lib/python2.5</code>.  </p>
  
  <p>It appears that I have several choices for going forward.  Anyone have any preferences?</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Copy /usr/lib/python2.5/* to /usr/local/lib/python2.5 to replicate my environment.  This should work, unless some part of the Python libraries have /usr/bin/python wired in during installation.  This is sure simple, but is there a down side?</p></li>
  <li><p>Reinstall everything by running <code>easy_install</code>.  Except, <code>easy_install</code> is (currently) hard-wired to <code>/usr/bin/python</code>.  So, I'd have to fix <code>easy_install</code> first, then reinstall everything.  </p>
  
  <p>This takes some time, but it gives me a clean, new latest-and-greatest environment.  But is there a down-side?  [And why does easy_install hard-wire itself?]</p></li>
  <li><p>Relink <code>/usr/bin/python</code> to be <code>/usr/local/bin/python</code>.  I'd still have to copy or reinstall the library, so I don't think this does me any good. [It would make <code>easy_install</code> work; but so would editing <code>/usr/bin/easy_install</code>.]</p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Has anyone copied their library?  Is it that simple?  </p>
  
  <p>Or should I fix <code>easy_install</code> and simply step through the installation guide and build a new, clean, latest-and-greatest?</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><strong>Edit</strong></p>
  
  <p>Or, should I </p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Skip trying to resolve the 2.5.1 and 2.5.4 issues and just jump straight to 2.6?</li>
  </ul>