The numpy v. 1.8.2 is not able to autodetect the shared libraries created by newer versions of ATLAS. Thus if one lets ATLAS create these libraries, she has to tell numpy about them. By default the numpy-legacy script forces numpy to look for the shared, threaded ATLAS libraries. If you want to change this behaviour you have the following possibilities: a) Set ATLAS_SHARED to "no". In this case numpy will just look for the apropriate static libraries. b) Set ATLAS_THREADS to "no". In this case numpy will be forced to look for the single threaded ATLAS libraries, static or shared depending on the value of ATLAS_SHARED. Otherwise it will look for the threaded ones.