Install a Python package into a different directory using pip?

Question

I know the obvious answer is to use virtualenv and virtualenvwrapper, but for various reasons I can\'t/don\'t want to do that.

So how do I modify the command

Answer 1

With pip v1.5.6 on Python v2.7.3 (GNU/Linux), option --root allows to specify a global installation prefix, (apparently) irrespective of specific package's options. Try f.i.,

$ pip install --root=/alternative/prefix/path package_name