deal with OSX "Extras" preventing upgrades

My operating system is OS X Yosemite with system python. I installed pip with sudo easy_install pip. When trying to install latest packages into the user site, it always report a fake success.

For example:

pip install --user --upgrade numpy

Collecting numpy from https://pypi.python.org/packages/cp27/n/numpy/numpy-1.9.2-cp27-none-macosx_10_6_intel.macosx_10_9_intel.macosx_10_9_x86_64.macosx_10_10_intel.macosx_10_10_x86_64.whl#md5=296f576bb648b8195b379b0bf39791ce
  Using cached numpy-1.9.2-cp27-none-macosx_10_6_intel.macosx_10_9_intel.macosx_10_9_x86_64.macosx_10_10_intel.macosx_10_10_x86_64.whl
Installing collected packages: numpy

Successfully installed numpy-1.8.0rc1

So basically it downloads 1.9.2 and tells me it successfully upgrades to 1.8.0rc1. I also tried add an option --ignore-installed, but the same thing happens.

[jeffoneill]

I’m on Sierra, and I didn’t have an Extras.pth in site-packages, but I was still getting “Extras” early in my Python path. My site-packages was cluttered with tons of stuff over many years so I decided to wipe it all out and start over again. I don’t know why, but that fixed my problem and I no longer have Extras on my path at all. Posting here in case it helps others.

[netheril96]

Can this be fixed or patched in the pip installation? New users of python on Mac should not learn how to work around this bug. They would probably just go for the easy sudo solution, which is dangerous.