Permission denied when trying to install easy_install on OSX

17
votes

I'm trying to install easy_install and, well... see for yourself:

sh setuptools-0.6c11-py2.6.egg

Processing setuptools-0.6c11-py2.6.egg

Copying setuptools-0.6c11-py2.6.egg to /Library/Python/2.6/site-packages

Adding setuptools 0.6c11 to easy-install.pth file

Installing easy_install script to /usr/local/bin

error: /usr/local/bin/easy_install: Permission denied

How do I give my computer permission to do this? I tried telling it in a friendly voice, "computer, I hereby grant you permission to install easy_install" but that didn't work.

4
pythonmacosinstallationeasy-install
+1, primarily because the title amused me :) - Stuart Golodetz
+1, recalling my own "easy"_install frustration under (an older) OS X - calling easy_install after upgrading via easy_install -U setuptools continued to run the old version since the new script got dumped in /usr/local/bin which came after /usr/bin in $PATH. Took me a while to figure out what was going on... - SimonJ
Did you try turning on voice recognition in System Preferences?? And perhaps you need to be more firm. - Ned Deily

4 Answers

12
votes

Use sudo. 

sudo sh setuptools-0.6c11-py2.6.egg

I would also investigate MacPorts.

Edit (5 years later): I now suggest Homebrew instead of MacPorts.

5
votes
sudo sh setuptools-0.6c11-py2.6.egg
3
votes

You should use sudo . You will need to enter your password.

3
votes

Judging from the paths displayed, you are likely using the Apple-supplied Python 2.6 in OS X 10.6. If so, be aware that Apple has already easily installed easy_install for you in /usr/bin. Just try typing easy_install; you may need to use sudo easy_install if the package tries to install a script. If you are using another Python (one you installed yourself), you will need to install a separate version of setuptools (or the newer Distribute) for it.