[Visualpython-users] Running VPython on Ubuntu 9.10

Thanks to Gary's comments, I now see that it is possible to run VPython 
on Ubuntu 9.10. Before installing the "ppa" from 
https://launchpad.net/~ajmitch/+archive/ppa 
<https://launchpad.net/%7Eajmitch/+archive/ppa> even the Ubuntu 9.10 
python-visual package would not run. But after updating the Boost 
libraries, the python-visual package DOES run on my Ubuntu 9.10 machine 
(I realize that Gary has other problems). This is progress, so I'll 
summarize:

If you want to run VPython on Ubuntu 9.10, go through the ppa stuff at 
the URL listed above (be sure to read and follow ALL of the arcane 
instructions; click on everything in sight on that web page). Use the 
package manager to install the standard python-visual package, which is 
version 5.11. You'll now be able to run VPython.

This leaves open the question of how to build a new version from source 
should you wish to do so. As I reported, I can compile all the files but 
not link to the Boost libraries. The message in src/build.log is 
"/usr/bin/ld: cannot find -lboost_python" even though I can see 
libboost_python-mt-py26.a, libboost_python-mt-py26.so, and 
libboost_python-mt-py26.so.1.38.0 in /usr/lib, and the package manager 
thinks they're installed. I have no idea why the link fails.

Bruce Sherwood

Gary Pajer wrote:
> I do have to correct my earlier comment.  When I first installed the 
> package python-visual, it simply segfaulted on start up.  When I 
> installed boost from ppa, it did not segfault, but it did crash.