Agreed. However, the use of the word "virtual"in this context is not the proper word, IMHO. It should be either different target builds, dev environments or just environments, but not "virtual¨. But that's me..................... JFM On Wed, Aug 19, 2026 at 12:23 PM Michael P. Soulier via linux < linux [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org> wrote: > Where did you read that Python virtual environments were virtual machines? > > Mike > > On 2026-08-19 11:16, Jean-Francois Messier via linux wrote: > > Well, I can't say that I hate Python, but their system of supposedly > > "virtual machines" is just a bunch of symlinks between different > > developments that are loosely isolated and I am not a fan of all this. > > As for the question, I would recommend (if you can) to try in a dummy VM > > with a very similar environment. See if it damages your entire virtual > > ecosystem or looks stable enough to do it on the real system. > > > > JFM > > > > On Wed, Aug 19, 2026 at 11:07 AM Dianne Skoll via linux <linux@linux- > > ottawa.org <mailto:linux [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org>> wrote: > > > > On 2026-08-19 10:04, Robert P. J. Day via linux wrote: > > > > > --break-system-packages. > > > > I've used that before without any apparent ill effects. I can't > > remember > > which package it was that I was trying to install. > > > > While we're here... can I just say I f***g HATE the Python ecosystem? > > What kind of lunacy is it to ask people to set up virtual > environments > > because packages exist that are installed system-wide by apt or rpm? > > > > Even ancient Perl and CPAN get this right, so it's not like the > Python > > developers had no examples of how to make it work properly. > > > > (I also hate Python the language, but that's a rant for another > > thread...) > > > > Regards, > > > > Dianne. > > > > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe@linux- > > ottawa.org <mailto:linux%2Bunsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org> > > To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > > <mailto:linux%2Bhelp [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org> > > To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org <https:// > > lists.linux-ottawa.org> > > > > > To unsubscribe send a blank message to linux+unsubscribe [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > To get help send a blank message to linux+help [ at ] linux-ottawa [ dot ] org > To visit the archives: https://lists.linux-ottawa.org > >