[Python-Dev] Python install layout and the PATH on win32 (original) (raw)

Terry Reedy tjreedy at udel.edu
Wed Mar 14 16:56:22 CET 2012

On 3/14/2012 11:22 AM, VanL wrote:

On 3/13/2012 9:58 PM, Terry Reedy wrote:

Given that we already repeat it, isn't it better to be consistent? But there is no repetition currently on Windows installations. I though you were just proposing to switch lib (lower-cased, and scripts renamed as bin, and pythonxx). So I do not think I yet understand what the proposal is and how it would be different from what I have now. Aaah, I was looking at my local installations, which happen to be "nt-user". Looking at the system installation ("nt") I see that there is no repetition.

Are you talking about 'install for all users' versus 'install for this user only'? I have always done the former as I see no point to the latter on my machine, even if another family member has an account.

I am fine with keeping the distinction between base installs (no py_version)

I have no idea what this means. As far as I can remember, each installation of Python x.y (back to 1.3 for me, on DOS) has gone into a pythonxy (no dot) directory, with subdirectories much as Jim J. described.

and user installs (including a pyversion). I would just suggest that when you have a pyversion, it be the same pyversion (not dots sometimes, nodot other times).

It also begs the question as to whether the pyversion is ever needed.

Whenever multiple versions are installed, of course a version marker is needed. Even if not, it is helpful to be able to see what version is installed. But I probably am not understanding what you mean.

-- Terry Jan Reedy

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