UPDATE: A better way… Installing Python with Anaconda

Instructions below were contributed by Robert Branton.

Here is final synopsis of what I did to install and run spyder on Mountain Lion.

1. install XQuartz – http://xquartz.macosforge.org/landing/
2. update to latest python – http://www.python.org/download/releases/3.3.0/
3. install Tcl/Tk – http://www.python.org/download/mac/tcltk/
4. install XCODE from App Store
   • build Command Line Tools
5. install MacPorts – http://guide.macports.org/
6. activate Mac OS Terminal window to get $ prompt and so run MacPorts
   • $ sudo port install py-spyder
   • $ sudo port -f activate python27
   • $ sudo port install py-spyder
   • $ sudo port uninstall py27-matplotlib-basemap
   • $ sudo port install py27-matplotlib-basemap
   • $ sudo port install py27-netcdf4
7. to run spyder form Mac OS Terminal
   • $ spyder-2.7 &
8. to cleanup spyder workspace
   • $ rm -R .spyder2-27/