Python exists in a lot of different variants. Most has 2 and 3 versions because of the version splits but most professional things seems to use 2.x still, like SAP, Hadoop management, cluster python stuff etc.
- The standard one is okay but slow
- Anaconda python from Continuum is the industry standard package cause it comes with everything neatly packed in already and all essential libraries just working. Install this one in 2.7.x if in doubt. It also has the core essential numpy libraries implemented and compiled with MKL (Math Kernel Libraries) so its optimized for CPUs to run superfast.
To go beyond,
- Pypi is faster but has less features. I dunno alot about it, but mainly I hear performance people develop in Anaconda and then maybe port to pypi for some applications.
- Intel python. Its (iirc) pretty new and has some superfast optimizations for Intel CPUs built-in but Continuum works with Intel so maybe they get the same as it isnt a core product for Intel, but mainly to vendor lock python user if I read the sales material right.
I could be wrong in some of the above but its the truth that I currently know. Apols if there are facts wrong.
Could be interesting to run the perf.py python script on ALL major python interpreters on the same undisturbed iron to get an interpreter rating of different ones.