diff --git a/python/MDSplus/setup.py b/python/MDSplus/setup.py
index dcba3b18bd..b4dee909e1 100644
--- a/python/MDSplus/setup.py
+++ b/python/MDSplus/setup.py
@@ -26,133 +26,76 @@
 import sys
 import os
 
-if 'pip-egg-info' in sys.argv:
-    print("When using pip to install MDSplus use 'pip install -e <dir>'")
-    sys.exit(1)
 
-try:
-    version = ()
-    mod_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-    with open(os.path.join(mod_dir, '_version.py')) as f:
-        exec(f.read())
-    release = "%d.%d.%d" % version
-except Exception:
-    release = '0.0.0'
-    release_tag = 'Unknown'
-
-pth_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
-setupkw = {
-    'name': 'MDSplus',
-    'extra_path': ('mdsplus', pth_dir),
-    'version': release,
-    'description': 'MDSplus Python Objectsi - '+release_tag,
-    'long_description': """
-      This module provides all of the functionality of MDSplus TDI natively in python.
-      All of the MDSplus data types such as signal are represented as python classes.
-      """,
-    'author': 'MDSplus Development Team',
-    'author_email': 'twf@www.mdsplus.org',
-    'url': 'http://www.mdsplus.org/',
-    'license': 'MIT',
-    'classifiers': [
-        'Programming Language :: Python',
-        'Intended Audience :: Science/Research',
-        'Environment :: Console',
-        'Topic :: Scientific/Engineering',
-    ],
-    'keywords': ['physics', 'mdsplus', ],
-}
-
-
-def remove():
-    import shutil
-    "Remove installed MDSplus package"
-    oldpath = list(sys.path)
+def setupkw():
     try:
-        pypath = os.getenv("PYTHONPATH", "")
-        for p in pypath.split(";"):
-            if len(p) > 0 and p in sys.path:
-                sys.path.remove(p)
-        if "" in sys.path:
-            sys.path.remove("")
-        try:
-            import MDSplus
-        except ImportError:
-            print("Error removing MDSplus: package not found")
-            return False
-        _f = MDSplus.__file__.split(os.sep)
-        while len(_f) > 1 and _f[-1] != 'MDSplus':
-            _f = _f[:-1]
-        if len(_f) <= 1 and _f[-2].endswith('.egg'):
-            _f = _f[:-1]
-        if len(_f) == 0:
-            print("Error removing MDSplus: invalid package path\n '%s'" %
-                  (MDSplus.__file__,))
-            return False
-        packagedir = os.sep.join(_f)
-        sys.stdout.write("Removing '%s' ..." % packagedir)
-        try:
-            if os.path.islink(packagedir):
-                os.remove(packagedir)
-            else:
-                shutil.rmtree(packagedir)
-            _f[-1] = "mdsplus-*.egg-info"
-            import glob
-            egginfos = glob.glob(os.sep.join(_f))
-            for egginfo in egginfos:
-                if os.path.isdir(egginfo):
-                    shutil.rmtree(egginfo)
-        except Exception as exc:
-            print(" error: %s" % (exc,))
-            return False
-        else:
-            print(" ok")
-            return True
-    finally:
-        sys.path = oldpath
+        version = ()
+        mod_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+        with open(os.path.join(mod_dir, '_version.py')) as f:
+            exec(f.read())
+        release = "%d.%d.%d" % version
+    except Exception:
+        release = '0.0.0'
+        release_tag = 'Unknown'
+    pth_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+    return dict(
+        name='MDSplus',
+        extra_path=('mdsplus', pth_dir),
+        version=release,
+        description='MDSplus Python Objects - '+release_tag,
+        long_description=(
+            "This module provides all of the functionality of MDSplus TDI natively in python.\n"
+            "All of the MDSplus data types such as signal are represented as python classes.\n"
+        ),
+        author='MDSplus Development Team',
+        author_email='twf@www.mdsplus.org',
+        url='http://www.mdsplus.org/',
+        license='MIT',
+        classifiers=[
+            'Programming Language :: Python',
+            'Intended Audience :: Science/Research',
+            'Environment :: Console',
+            'Topic :: Scientific/Engineering',
+        ],
+        keywords=['physics', 'mdsplus', ],
+    )
+
+
+def use_distutils():
+    from distutils.core import setup
+    from distutils.cmd import Command
+
+    class TestCommand(Command):
+        user_options = []
+
+        def initialize_options(self):
+            """nothing to do."""
+
+        def finalize_options(self):
+            """nothing to do."""
+
+        def run(self):
+            import subprocess
+            raise SystemExit(
+                subprocess.call([sys.executable, '-m', 'tests.__init__']))
+
+    setup(cmdclass={'test': TestCommand}, **setupkw())
+
+
+def use_setuptools():
+    from setuptools import setup
+    setup(
+        include_package_data=True,
+        test_suite='tests.test_all',
+        zip_safe=False,
+        **setupkw()
+    )
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    def use_distutils():
-        from distutils.core import setup
-        from distutils.cmd import Command
-
-        class TestCommand(Command):
-            user_options = []
-
-            def initialize_options(self):
-                """nothing to do."""
-
-            def finalize_options(self):
-                """nothing to do."""
-
-            def run(self):
-                import sys
-                import subprocess
-                raise SystemExit(
-                    subprocess.call([sys.executable, '-m', 'tests.__init__']))
-
-        class RemoveCommand(Command):
-            user_options = []
-
-            def initialize_options(self):
-                """nothing to do."""
-
-            def finalize_options(self):
-                """nothing to do."""
-
-            def run(self):
-                remove()
-        setup(cmdclass={'test': TestCommand, 'remove': RemoveCommand})
-
-    def use_setuptools():
-        from setuptools import setup
-        setup(
-            include_package_data=True,
-            test_suite='tests.test_all',
-            zip_safe=False,
-        )
-
+    if 'pip-egg-info' in sys.argv:
+        print("When using pip to install MDSplus use 'pip install -e <dir>'")
+        sys.exit(1)
     try:
         use_setuptools()
     except ImportError: