Hey,
It seems to be OK just to install python 2.3 via rpm. (So my idea was not so "off the wall" after all.)
Since Seth's reply here indicated that my idea was an option, I decided to try it first on a test system. When I got to the rpm download page at www.python.org, I found an FAQ exactly on point:
begin quote
Q) Is it safe to install these RPMs on a Red Hat system? Will they over-write the system python and cause problems with other Red Hat applications that expect a different version of Python?
A) The RPMs that start with "python2.3" are built to not interfere with the system Python. They install as "/usr/bin/python2.3" and will not conflict with the system Python unless you are running on a system that ships the a version of Python which has the same major/minor number.
To invoke the interpreter with these packages, you will explicitly have to run "python2.3". Note that all Python RPMs provided by Python.org and Red Hat provide a "/usr/bin/python2.3" (or similar, with major/minor number), even if they also provide "/usr/bin/python". So, yes, it should be safe.
end quote
http://www.python.org/2.3.4/rpms.html
This must have come up before, and Guido has already worked out the details.
Rick