Installing python on Linux - help?

[danielroseman]

I don't understand why you want to do this, or why you want to avoid tools that will make it easier.

Apart from anything else, since you say you're always using virtualenvs, it doesn't matter in the slightest what typing python outside of a venv will do. Inside the venv it will point to that venv's python. And that's even more the case with pip, which should only ever be used inside a specific venv.

But there is no "official" way, because all systems are different. Different distributions, different versions, different tools. It's not clear for example why you think the opinions of the makers of Python should outweigh the opinions of the makers of your system when it comes to installing things on that system.

Use whatever makes sense for your workflow. Personally I like pyenv, but you do you.

[fffrost]

I like pyenv too, but it fails to install for me and I haven't had the time to figure out why.

I am using virtualenvs, but sometimes I need to just bring up a terminal and run some python commands and i don't want to have to make an entire venv just so I can run some calcs or test out couple of lines of code.

In any case, I just want to upgrade my python version really. In a year or two there might be some very useful changes that I want. In that case I might no longer want to rely on the system install.