How to install python2.6-dev on Debian Testing

Question

I'm using Linux Mint Debian Edition (eq. Debian Testing). There is no python2.6-dev package, which I'd need to install pycrypto for Python 2.6 (since it has a compilation step).

Is there any way to get this package or an equivalent on my system? I already have installed Python 2.6 in my system and I can use it without a hitch.

(The python2.7-dev package is there just fine. But I'm glued to 2.6, so it doesn't suit my needs.)

Answer 1

No. Debian testing doesn't have python2.6 (and forcing the install can break your installation, since several (in the order of thousands) packages depends of a specific version of python). It was dropped. If you want you can use stable instead (if Mint has a stable equivalent) otherwise you are stuck with python2.7.

You can try installing Python on a separated path (using the --prefix) from sources, or using pythonbrew, but replacing your system Python with another version is a big no-no.

If you already have python 2.6 installed, you can carefully install the packages from stable. Make double sure that the operation doesn't break something along the way.

Related:

• https://stackoverflow.com/a/2547577/792066

Answer 2

I know this might seem extreme but if you need 2.6 that badly, try running debian stable in a virtual machine like virtualbox and install 2.6 through that.