Problems with python3 pip

[Chad Dougherty <crd@acm.org>]

It seems to me like the ensurepip module has some problems.  Shouldn't 
the following be working?

$ cygcheck -c -d|grep python3
python3                  3.9.10-1
python3-devel            3.9.10-1
python39                 3.9.10-1
python39-devel           3.9.10-1
python39-pip             21.3.1-3
python39-setuptools      59.5.0-1
$ type python3.9
python3.9 is hashed (/usr/bin/python3.9)
$ type pip3.9
pip3.9 is hashed (/usr/bin/pip3.9)
$ pip3.9 --version
pip 21.3.1 from /usr/lib/python3.9/site-packages/pip (python 3.9)
$ pip3.9 list
Package    Version
---------- -------
pip        21.3.1
setuptools 59.5.0
WARNING: You are using pip version 21.3.1; however, version 22.0.4 is 
available.
You should consider upgrading via the '/usr/bin/python3.9.exe -m pip 
install --upgrade pip' command.

$ python3.9 -m ensurepip
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 188, in _run_module_as_main
     mod_name, mod_spec, code = _get_module_details(mod_name, _Error)
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 147, in _get_module_details
     return _get_module_details(pkg_main_name, error)
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 111, in _get_module_details
     __import__(pkg_name)
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/ensurepip/__init__.py", line 30, in <module>
     _SETUPTOOLS_VERSION = _get_most_recent_wheel_version("setuptools")
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/ensurepip/__init__.py", line 27, in 
_get_most_recent_wheel_version
     return str(max(_wheels[pkg], key=distutils.version.LooseVersion))
ValueError: max() arg is an empty sequence
$ python3.9 -m ensurepip --user
Traceback (most recent call last):
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 188, in _run_module_as_main
     mod_name, mod_spec, code = _get_module_details(mod_name, _Error)
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 147, in _get_module_details
     return _get_module_details(pkg_main_name, error)
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/runpy.py", line 111, in _get_module_details
     __import__(pkg_name)
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/ensurepip/__init__.py", line 30, in <module>
     _SETUPTOOLS_VERSION = _get_most_recent_wheel_version("setuptools")
   File "/usr/lib/python3.9/ensurepip/__init__.py", line 27, in 
_get_most_recent_wheel_version
     return str(max(_wheels[pkg], key=distutils.version.LooseVersion))
ValueError: max() arg is an empty sequence
$


This causes the failure of "-m venv", which is what I ultimately want to do:
$ python3.9 -m venv /home/crd/testvenv
Error: Command '['/home/crd/testvenv/bin/python3.9.exe', '-Im', 
'ensurepip', '--upgrade', '--default-pip']' returned non-zero exit status 1.

I also tried python38 and had similar problems.

Thanks...

-- 
     -Chad