python3.9, forced to depend on system distutils, can't actually import it

[clayote]

description

I'm on an Ubuntu derivative, where python3.9-distutils is just a virtual package for python3-distutils.

I'd like to install python3.9 and numpy, but I can't, because there's no way to get deadsnakes' python3.9 to import the system distutils:

sanotehu@sanotehu-MS-7A31:~/src/LiSE$ sudo apt install python3.9 python3.9-distutils
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Note, selecting 'python3-distutils' instead of 'python3.9-distutils'
python3-distutils is already the newest version (3.8.10-0ubuntu1~20.04).
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libpython3.9-minimal libpython3.9-stdlib python3.9-minimal
Suggested packages:
  python3.9-venv
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libpython3.9-minimal libpython3.9-stdlib python3.9 python3.9-minimal
0 upgraded, 4 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 4,885 kB of archives.
After this operation, 19.4 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] 
Get:1 http://ppa.launchpad.net/deadsnakes/ppa/ubuntu focal/main amd64 libpython3.9-minimal amd64 3.9.10-1+focal1 [789 kB]
Get:2 http://ppa.launchpad.net/deadsnakes/ppa/ubuntu focal/main amd64 python3.9-minimal amd64 3.9.10-1+focal1 [1,918 kB]
Get:3 http://ppa.launchpad.net/deadsnakes/ppa/ubuntu focal/main amd64 libpython3.9-stdlib amd64 3.9.10-1+focal1 [1,694 kB]
Get:4 http://ppa.launchpad.net/deadsnakes/ppa/ubuntu focal/main amd64 python3.9 amd64 3.9.10-1+focal1 [484 kB]
Fetched 4,885 kB in 3s (1,760 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package libpython3.9-minimal:amd64.
(Reading database ... 488195 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libpython3.9-minimal_3.9.10-1+focal1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libpython3.9-minimal:amd64 (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package python3.9-minimal.
Preparing to unpack .../python3.9-minimal_3.9.10-1+focal1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python3.9-minimal (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libpython3.9-stdlib:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libpython3.9-stdlib_3.9.10-1+focal1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libpython3.9-stdlib:amd64 (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package python3.9.
Preparing to unpack .../python3.9_3.9.10-1+focal1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking python3.9 (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Setting up libpython3.9-minimal:amd64 (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Setting up python3.9-minimal (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Setting up libpython3.9-stdlib:amd64 (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Setting up python3.9 (3.9.10-1+focal1) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.64ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.36.0-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.9.1-1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.24+linuxmint1) ...
sanotehu@sanotehu-MS-7A31:~/src/LiSE$ python3.9 -m pip install --user numpy
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 197, in _run_module_as_main
    return _run_code(code, main_globals, None,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 87, in _run_code
    exec(code, run_globals)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/__main__.py", line 16, in <module>
    from pip._internal.cli.main import main as _main  # isort:skip # noqa
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/main.py", line 10, in <module>
    from pip._internal.cli.autocompletion import autocomplete
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/autocompletion.py", line 9, in <module>
    from pip._internal.cli.main_parser import create_main_parser
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/main_parser.py", line 7, in <module>
    from pip._internal.cli import cmdoptions
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py", line 19, in <module>
    from distutils.util import strtobool
ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'distutils.util'

os information

lsb_release -a

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Linuxmint
Description:    Linux Mint 20.3
Release:    20.3
Codename:   una

uname -a

Linux sanotehu-MS-7A31 5.13.0-30-generic #33~20.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Mon Feb 7 14:25:10 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[asottile]

chill out, please continue the discussion in #200