update-python-ec2.sh

# Thanks to Sebastian Kreutzberger
# Source: http://www.lecloud.net/post/61401763496/install-update-to-python-2-7-and-latest-pip-on-ec2

# install build tools 
sudo yum install make automake gcc gcc-c++ kernel-devel git-core -y 

# install python 2.7 and change default python symlink 
sudo yum install python27-devel -y 
sudo rm /usr/bin/python
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/python2.7 /usr/bin/python 

# yum still needs 2.6, so write it in and backup script 
sudo cp /usr/bin/yum /usr/bin/_yum_before_27 
sed -i 's/python$/python2.6/g' /usr/bin/yum
sed -i 's/python2\.6[\.|0-9].*/python2.6/g' /usr/bin/yum
sed -i 's/python2\.[0-5|7-9].*/python2.6/g' /usr/bin/yum

# should display now 2.7.5 or later: 
python -V 

# now install pip for 2.7 
sudo curl -o /tmp/ez_setup.py https://bootstrap.pypa.io/ez_setup.py


sudo /usr/bin/python27 /tmp/ez_setup.py 
sudo /usr/bin/easy_install-2.7 pip 
sudo pip install virtualenv
sudo pip install virtualenvwrapper

# should display current versions:
pip -V && virtualenv --version