...need to learn how to use cmake and other systems to build and use libraries. On OSes for which this is true you'd be forced to compile python yourself as we

...need to learn how to use cmake and other systems to build and use libraries. On OSes for which this is true you'd be forced to compile python yourself as well, because it's also just a dependency (of pip, for one!) written in a compiled language. Edit: My point is: usually it's as easy as 'yum install', but on the rare occasion you will need to compile, I admit. However, that could happen with pip too; don't tell me its repos are always completely up to date. And in those cases it won't be quite as simple as 'pip install'.