Whereis Python3 Gives Several Paths

I am wondering if I have installed python3 "multiply" by several actions when fixing some problems. Typing whereis python3 in my ubuntu 18.04 gives

python3: /usr/bin/python3.6m /usr/bin/python3.6-config /usr/bin/python3.6m-config /usr/bin/python3.6 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/lib/python3.7 /usr/lib/python3.6 /usr/lib/python3 /usr/lib/python3.8 /etc/python3.4 /etc/python3.6 /etc/python3.5 /etc/python3 /usr/local/lib/python3.6 /usr/local/lib/python3.5 /usr/include/python3.6m /usr/include/python3.6 /usr/share/python3 /usr/share/man/man1/python3.1.gz

Do I have to remove something?

By the way: python3 --version gives

Python 3.6.9

Edit: dpkg -l | grep python3.[0-9] gives

rc  libpython3.4:amd64                            3.4.3-1ubuntu1~14.04.3                           amd64        Shared Python runtime library (version 3.4)
rc  libpython3.4-minimal:amd64                    3.4.3-1ubuntu1~14.04.3                           amd64        Minimal subset of the Python language (version 3.4)
rc  libpython3.5-minimal:amd64                    3.5.2-2ubuntu0~16.04.12                          amd64        Minimal subset of the Python language (version 3.5)
ii  libpython3.6:amd64                            3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Shared Python runtime library (version 3.6)
ii  libpython3.6-dev:amd64                        3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Header files and a static library for Python (v3.6)
ii  libpython3.6-minimal:amd64                    3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Minimal subset of the Python language (version 3.6)
ii  libpython3.6-stdlib:amd64                     3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Interactive high-level object-oriented language (standard library, version 3.6)
rc  python3.4                                     3.4.3-1ubuntu1~14.04.3                           amd64        Interactive high-level object-oriented language (version 3.4)
rc  python3.4-minimal                             3.4.3-1ubuntu1~14.04.3                           amd64        Minimal subset of the Python language (version 3.4)
rc  python3.5-minimal                             3.5.2-2ubuntu0~16.04.12                          amd64        Minimal subset of the Python language (version 3.5)
ii  python3.6                                     3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Interactive high-level object-oriented language (version 3.6)
ii  python3.6-dev                                 3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Header files and a static library for Python (v3.6)
ii  python3.6-minimal                             3.6.9-1~18.04ubuntu1.3                           amd64        Minimal subset of the Python language (version 3.6)

And apt-cache policy texlive-latex-base texlive-binaries gives

texlive-latex-base:
  Installiert:           2017.20180305-1
  Installationskandidat: 2017.20180305-1
  Versionstabelle:
 *** 2017.20180305-1 500
        500  bionic/main amd64 Packages
        500  bionic/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
texlive-binaries:
  Installiert:           2017.20170613.44572-8ubuntu0.1
  Installationskandidat: 2017.20170613.44572-8ubuntu0.1
  Versionstabelle:
 *** 2017.20170613.44572-8ubuntu0.1 500
        500  bionic-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500  bionic-security/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2017.20170613.44572-8build1 500
        500  bionic/main amd64 Packages

pdftex -v and pdflatex -v both give

pdfTeX 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.18 (TeX Live 2017/Debian)
kpathsea version 6.2.3
Copyright 2017 Han The Thanh (pdfTeX) et al.
There is NO warranty.  Redistribution of this software is
covered by the terms of both the pdfTeX copyright and
the Lesser GNU General Public License.
For more information about these matters, see the file
named COPYING and the pdfTeX source.
Primary author of pdfTeX: Han The Thanh (pdfTeX) et al.
Compiled with libpng 1.6.34; using libpng 1.6.34
Compiled with zlib 1.2.11; using zlib 1.2.11
Compiled with poppler version 0.62.0
9

1 Answer

As you have some leftovers from 16.04 LTS, then you have to remove its Python packages:

sudo apt-get purge libpython3.4:amd64 libpython3.4-minimal:amd64 libpython3.5-minimal:amd64 python3.4 python3.4-minimal python3.5-minimal

Then remove packages which are ready for auto-remove:

sudo apt-get autoremove --purge

Your output is normal. On my Ubuntu MATE 18.04.5 LTS system I have:

python3: /usr/bin/python3.6m /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python3.6 /usr/bin/python3.6m-config /usr/bin/python3.6-config /usr/lib/python3 /usr/lib/python3.6 /usr/lib/python3.5 /usr/lib/python3.8 /usr/lib/python3.7 /etc/python3 /etc/python3.6 /usr/local/lib/python3.6 /usr/include/python3.6m /usr/include/python3.6 /usr/share/python3 /usr/share/man/man1/python3.1.gz

and it works normally.

So I have Python 3 installed from repositories. The python folders in /usr/local are created by pip3, so they are safe too.

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Sarah Jenkins

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Technology Editor & AI Specialist

Sarah Jenkins is a veteran tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering artificial intelligence, mobile innovations, and digital ethics. Her insights have appeared in leading technology publications worldwide.

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