Decide which python version to use for pip and easy_install - python-2.7

Question

I have two python versions on my server namely 2.4 and 2.7. It is running RHEL 5.8.
I already have pip and easy_install installed on my server.
When I try to install ipython using easy_install or pip, it gives me an error which probably does not support in python 2.4.
I want to use python 2.7 for both pip and easy_install since I would want to use the latest version of the both.
What should I do to have pip and easy_install use python 2.7. Python 2.4 is installed by default by the system and I do want to keep it.
Python 2.7 is installed at another location.
Below is the traceback both for easy_install and pip. Both end up in the same error. Any kind of help is appreciated.
PIP
ronak#ronak fun $ sudo pip install ipython
Downloading/unpacking ipython
Downloading ipython-0.13.zip (6.4Mb): 6.4Mb downloaded
Running setup.py egg_info for package ipython
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 14, in ?
File "/usr/local/home/ronak/fun/build/ipython/setup.py", line 23
from __future__ import print_function
SyntaxError: future feature print_function is not defined
Complete output from command python setup.py egg_info:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "<string>", line 14, in ?
File "/usr/local/home/ronak/fun/build/ipython/setup.py", line 23
from __future__ import print_function
SyntaxError: future feature print_function is not defined
----------------------------------------
Command python setup.py egg_info failed with error code 1
Storing complete log in /home/ronak/.pip/pip.log
EASY_INSTALL:
ronak#ronak $ sudo easy_install ipython
Searching for ipython
Reading http://pypi.python.org/simple/ipython/
Reading http://ipython.scipy.org
Reading http://ipython.scipy.org/dist
Reading http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/0.8.4
Reading http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/0.9.1
Reading http://ipython.org
Reading http://archive.ipython.org/release/0.12.1
Reading https://github.com/ipython/ipython/downloads
Reading http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/old/0.9
Reading http://ipython.scipy.org/dist/0.10
Reading http://archive.ipython.org/release/0.11/
Reading http://archive.ipython.org/release/0.12
Best match: ipython 0.13
Downloading https://github.com/downloads/ipython/ipython/ipython-0.13.zip
Processing ipython-0.13.zip
Running ipython-0.13/setup.py -q bdist_egg --dist-dir /tmp/easy_install-vgPLN2/ipython-0.13/egg-dist-tmp-GHUgsq
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/bin/easy_install", line 7, in ?
sys.exit(
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 1712, in main
with_ei_usage(lambda:
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 1700, in with_ei_usage
return f()
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 1716, in <lambda>
distclass=DistributionWithoutHelpCommands, **kw
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/distutils/core.py", line 149, in setup
dist.run_commands()
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/distutils/dist.py", line 946, in run_commands
self.run_command(cmd)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/distutils/dist.py", line 966, in run_command
cmd_obj.run()
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 211, in run
self.easy_install(spec, not self.no_deps)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 446, in easy_install
return self.install_item(spec, dist.location, tmpdir, deps)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 476, in install_item
dists = self.install_eggs(spec, download, tmpdir)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 655, in install_eggs
return self.build_and_install(setup_script, setup_base)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 930, in build_and_install
self.run_setup(setup_script, setup_base, args)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/command/easy_install.py", line 919, in run_setup
run_setup(setup_script, args)
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/sandbox.py", line 61, in run_setup
DirectorySandbox(setup_dir).run(
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/sandbox.py", line 105, in run
return func()
File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/setuptools-0.6c11-py2.4.egg/setuptools/sandbox.py", line 64, in <lambda>
{'__file__':setup_script, '__name__':'__main__'}
File "setup.py", line 23
from __future__ import print_function
SyntaxError: future feature print_function is not defined

Answer 1

One way would be:
Open pip/easy_install in text editor
Check top line, it should say
#! /usr/bin/python
Change it to #!path/to/python2.7

Answer 2

You should check this SO question.
You may also want to consider using virtual environment through virtualenv and virtualenvwrapper to manage which version of Python your packages should use.

Answer 3

If you would like to easily install iPython, SciPy, MatPlotLib, etc. by downloading a .dmg, you can try here:
http://www.enthought.com/products/epd_free.php
Or if you have a academic email address:
http://www.enthought.com/products/edudownload.php

Answer 4

sudo /location/to/python2.7 /path/to/pip install ipython
If you have a recent version of pip, you an also try sudo pip-2.7 install ipython