title: How to use a different version of python during NPM install?
body: <p>I have terminal access to a VPS running centos 5.9 and default python 2.4.3 installed. I also installed python 2.7.3 via these commands: (I used <code>make altinstall</code> instead of <code>make install</code>)</p>
  
  <pre><code>wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.3/Python-2.7.3.tgz
  tar -xf Python-2.7.3.tgz
  cd Python-2.7.3
  ./configure
  make
  make altinstall
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>then I installed node.js from source via these commands:</p>
  
  <pre><code>python2.7 ./configure
  make
  make install
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The problem is, when I use <code>npm install</code> and try to install a node.js package which requires python > 2.4.3 I get this error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>gyp ERR! configure error
  gyp ERR! stack Error: Python executable "python" is v2.4.3, which is not supported by gyp.
  gyp ERR! stack You can pass the --python switch to point to Python &gt;= v2.5.0 &amp; &lt; 3.0.0.
  gyp ERR! stack     at failPythonVersion (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/configure.js:125:14)
  gyp ERR! stack     at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/configure.js:114:9
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>how should I <em>"pass the --python switch to point to Python >= v2.5.0"</em>?</p>