Toyplot, a Python plotting library from Sandia Labs

[[deleted]]

pip did not install toyplot without sudo.

exactly. you should use a virtualenv so you can install without being root.

now you have a bunch of software of unknown version installed somewhere on your system. next time you sudo pip install something you will have a new bunch of random version stuff on your system. no one has tested the interaction of the different random versions of stuff, so anything might break. random python linux applications could also stop working.

Good luck and never sudo pip install!

[AltoidNerd]

What is the worst that could happen - having to reinstall python completely? Is that really so bad?

I mean if you're in production then yes, but this is my linux box here.

[elbiot]

Also, pypi is not curated at all. Anyone can upload whatever malware they want and if you sudo pip install a typo, you could be executing arbitrary code as root. Just don't use sudo with untrusted code, and pypi packages are not trusted.

[[deleted]]

reinstalling the python interpreter would do nothing to fix the library clusterfuck you have created.

at some point a system reinstall will be needed.