Python2.4 only debian setup

Matthias Klose announced the Move to python 2.4 / Changing the packaging style for python packages

Warning:This method no longer works on debian sid
p. Until most of the transition work is done we have to rely on local package redirection using dummy packages to install packages that depend on python2.3 runtime. At the moment of writing python2.3 package version was at 2.3.5-12 in Debian Sid.

Here is how I worked-around the problem using equivs package.

(Cleaned up old python all old run-times & keep only
2.4)
$ apt-get install python2.4

(create the default symbolic link )
$ ln -s /usr/bin/python2.4 /usr/bin/python

(checking default python version)
$ python -V
Python 2.4.4c0

(build dummy equivs package)

$ equivs-control python2.3

(edit the python control file)

$ cat python2.3
Section: misc
Priority: optional
Standards-Version: 3.5.10

Package: python2.3
Version: 2.3.5-5-12-1
Maintainer: Arky ####@####.####
Architecture: all
Description: Arky’s Dummy equivs package for python

(build package)
$ equivs-build python2.3

(install the dummy package)
$ dpkg -i python2.3_2.3.5-5-12-1_all.deb

(check the policy for python2.3)

$apt-cache policy python2.3
python2.3: Installed: 2.3.5-12-1 Candidate: 2.3.5-12-1 Version table: *** 2.3.5-12-1 0 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 2.3.5-12 0 990 ftp://ftp.yz.yamagata-u.ac.jp unstable/main Packages

You should find that currently installed package is your dummy python2.3 (version 2.3.5-12-1 ). Local package redirects for other packages can be done with easily with equivs.