Every now and then I have to install Python PIL or Pillow on an Ubuntu server. I mostly end up with problems like no jpeg support or no compressed png support. After some googling you will find all kinds of info consisting of creating symlinks on some locations so it will work on 64 bit Ubuntu etc.

As it turns out the install is quite easy, without the need to manually symlink stuff. First install deps:

Then you should be able to installing python imaging stuff with:

If you already installed pillow before you installed all the needed deps; changes are that you don’t have jpeg support; you can then force a reinstall with: