Long story short, I understand what my problem comes from, but haven't been able to find a solution.
The error I get is pasted below:
pip install scipy (and other variations like --upgrade, making sure pip is most recent, etc. - almost certain its not a pip issue)
× Preparing metadata (pyproject.toml) did not run successfully.
│ exit code: 1
╰─> [13 lines of output]
+ meson setup --prefix=C:\users\w\appdata\local\programs\python\python38-32 C:\Users\w\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-bf55dgso\scipy_82bfcabbf1854ff981dec7247a79719c C:\Users\w\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-bf55dgso\scipy_82bfcabbf1854ff981dec7247a79719c\.mesonpy-wjzxo0cz\build --native-file=C:\Users\w\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-bf55dgso\scipy_82bfcabbf1854ff981dec7247a79719c\.mesonpy-native-file.ini -Ddebug=false -Doptimization=2
The Meson build system
Version: 1.2.1
Source dir: C:\Users\w\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-bf55dgso\scipy_82bfcabbf1854ff981dec7247a79719c
Build dir: C:\Users\w\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-bf55dgso\scipy_82bfcabbf1854ff981dec7247a79719c\.mesonpy-wjzxo0cz\build
Build type: native build
Project name: SciPy
Project version: 1.10.1
Activating VS 16.3.9
..\..\meson.build:1:0: ERROR: Compiler cl cannot compile programs.
A full log can be found at C:\Users\w\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-bf55dgso\scipy_82bfcabbf1854ff981dec7247a79719c\.mesonpy-wjzxo0cz\build\meson-logs\meson-log.txt
[end of output]
note: This error originates from a subprocess, and is likely not a problem with pip.
error: metadata-generation-failed
From what I can gather, SciPy has issues with Windows and this is a well documented issue for the past decade or so - something to do with the lack of a compiler for - and issue that Linux/MacOS doesnt have because of gcc. Here is my problem: most solutions reference http://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/ - telling me to download the matching .whl file and it should be fixed, as in the answer here. Issue is, the gohlke link is broken in 2023 and directs to a Page Not Found.
While not a hard requirement for the fix, I personally would rather not download files of unknown origin from the internet - however if someone has a copy of the .whl for Windows 10 64-bit, I guess it's better than wiping my laptop and making it run Ubuntu.
