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-rw-r--r--Doc/inst/inst.tex38
1 files changed, 21 insertions, 17 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/inst/inst.tex b/Doc/inst/inst.tex
index 35ea161..51802c0 100644
--- a/Doc/inst/inst.tex
+++ b/Doc/inst/inst.tex
@@ -384,26 +384,26 @@ install files. The details differ across platforms, so read whichever
of the following sections applies to you.
-\subsection{Alternate installation: \UNIX{} (the home scheme)}
+\subsection{Alternate installation: the home scheme}
\label{alt-install-prefix}
-Under \UNIX, there are two ways to perform an alternate installation.
-The ``prefix scheme'' is similar to how alternate installation works
-under Windows and Mac OS, but is not necessarily the most useful way to
-maintain a personal Python library. Hence, we document the more
-convenient and commonly useful ``home scheme'' first.
-
The idea behind the ``home scheme'' is that you build and maintain a
-personal stash of Python modules, probably under your home directory.
+personal stash of Python modules. This scheme's name is derived from
+the idea of a ``home'' directory on \UNIX, since it's not unusual for
+a \UNIX{} user to make their home directory have a layout similar to
+\file{/usr/} or \file{/usr/local/}. This scheme can be used by
+anyone, regardless of the operating system their installing for.
+
Installing a new module distribution is as simple as
\begin{verbatim}
python setup.py install --home=<dir>
\end{verbatim}
-where you can supply any directory you like for the \longprogramopt{home}
-option. Lazy typists can just type a tilde (\code{\textasciitilde}); the
-\command{install} command will expand this to your home directory:
+where you can supply any directory you like for the
+\longprogramopt{home} option. On \UNIX, lazy typists can just type a
+tilde (\code{\textasciitilde}); the \command{install} command will
+expand this to your home directory:
\begin{verbatim}
python setup.py install --home=~
@@ -417,6 +417,11 @@ installation base as follows:
{home}{/bin}
{home}{/share}
+
+\versionchanged[The \longprogramopt{home} option used to be supported
+ only on \UNIX]{2.4}
+
+
\subsection{Alternate installation: \UNIX{} (the prefix scheme)}
\label{alt-install-home}
@@ -491,14 +496,13 @@ your \longprogramopt{prefix} and \longprogramopt{exec-prefix} don't even
point to an alternate Python installation, this is immaterial.)
-\subsection{Alternate installation: Windows}
+\subsection{Alternate installation: Windows (the prefix scheme)}
\label{alt-install-windows}
-Since Windows has no conception of a user's home directory, and since
-the standard Python installation under Windows is simpler than that
-under \UNIX, there's no point in having separate \longprogramopt{prefix}
-and \longprogramopt{home} options. Just use the \longprogramopt{prefix}
-option to specify a base directory, e.g.
+Windows has no concept of a user's home directory, and since the
+standard Python installation under Windows is simpler than under
+\UNIX, the \longprogramopt{prefix} option has traditionally been used
+to install additional packages in separate locations on Windows.
\begin{verbatim}
python setup.py install --prefix="\Temp\Python"