title: How to skip installing data files if not running as root?
body: <p>I have to deploy a Python project together with a script that is used via a command line interface. To help users, I also include a Bash completion file that is placed into <code>/etc/bash_completion.d</code>. Unfortunately, installing the source distribution with <code>pip install project.tar.gz</code> fails when installing as a normal user, because </p>
  
  <pre><code>error: could not delete '/etc/bash_completion.d/completion': Permission denied
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Installing the project with <code>pip install -e .</code> works because the writing issue is ignored.</p>
  
  <p>Now, is there a way to tell distribute that it should not attempt to write the data file when it's not executed as root?</p>