Problem updating python-devel on FC6

[John DeDourek]

On a
   yum update
I am seeing
   Error: python-devel conflicts with python < 2.4.4-1.fc6

This is most likely due to the fact that
   rpm -q python
shows
   python-2.4.3-18.fc6
   python-2.4.4-1.fc6

I have temporarily bypassed the problem by doing:
   yum update --exclude=python-devel
thus applying all updates except python-devel

I realize that some appropriate invocation of "rpm -e"
with appropriate options can get rid of the older python,
however, I am temporarily hesitant to do this until
the true problem is identified by someone familiar
with the details of the python and python-devel packages.

I note that a search of the archives for fedora-list shows
several other people have reported this problem.  It is often
the case that they attribute it to some sort of accidental
RPM database corruption.  However, the fact that it has
occurred several times, and always with python and python-devel
leads to the suspicion that there is actually a flaw in either
the python package or the rpm, yum, or yum-updatesd that has
caused this problem.  Another possibility is that the
erase of the older python somehow failed, after installation
of the new one due to some sort of interaction between the
update process and the older python.

I have therefore reported it to bugzilla as bug #218776, initially
against fc6 component python, presuming initially that it may
be due to some sort of packaging problem with python.  However,
it is also possible that it is a flaw in the rpm/yum/yum-updatesd
updating system.