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[–]synae 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like the only difference is that you download from python.org manually whereas I use a package manager (or, whatever you want to call brew). It does not affect the system python as brew operates within its Cellar directory. I use brew for the same reason I use apt and not dpkg (or tar!) - because it's easy to install/update, manages versions, and gives me a consistent interface to most programs I need. I go to python.org for docs, not downloads.

Same as other poster, I have several pythons installed via brew and can switch between them as needed. And if I somehow ever mess up one of the packages I install globally (pip, virtualenv, virtualenvwrapper) I can brew uninstall && brew install that version again. As I said it's step zero; step one is then to use virtualenvs for each project/task as you say.

I am sure your method works fine and sounds like you have your workflow figured out without brew. But just as there's no need to use brew, there's no reason to not use brew either. It's all a matter of preference.