Windows with Plesk Panel installs ActiveState Python 2.5.0 - any thoughts?

Question

I expect to run Pylons on a Windows Server 2003 and IIS 6 on a Virtual Private Server (VPS). Most work with the VPS is done through the Plesk 8.6 panel. The Plesk panel has a lot of maintenance advantages for us. However, this Plesk configuration installs ActiveState Python 2.5.0. The Parallels Plesk documents for 8.6 and version 9 insist that only this configuration should be installed.

I'm not eager to settle for the baseline 2.5.0. but don't see any safe upgrade path. How has ActiveState Python 2.5.0 been for other users? Can you replace the Parallels\Plesk\Additional\Python with another distribution? I don't want to break Plesk, please.

Previously, I followed these instructions, Serving a Pylons app with IIS - Pylons Cookbook

Using the default web site IP address, I had Python 2.6.3 installing the ISAPI-WSGI dll in IIS so that I successfully ran Pylons in a virutalenv through IIS using the IP address, no domain name. I would be so happy if I could run this successful configuration for my domains while I must use Plesk.

Tips and solutions appreciated.

Answer 1

The default Python install location is something like c:\python26. I think it's likely you could install the latest python there, without it conflicting with the ActiveState Python. (You may have to deal with path issues or conflicts over which copy 'owns' python source files in Explorer, though.)