pip install seems to be ignoring dependency links

As of pip 1.5, dependency links are deprecated. Currently pip can still be forced to be used them with the --process-dependency-links flag. You might also have to use --allow-external packagename or --allow-unverified packagename, where packagename actually specifies whichever dependency you want to install that's not in an official repository

Note that since it's deprecated functionality, the --process-dependency-links flag will be completely removed soon. I believe the preferred approach is to supply a requirements.txt file.

And as of pip 7 they are enabled again. This means you can now use dependency_links using pip:

pip install -e /path/to/python/module --process-dependency-links --allow-all-external

If you'r using your distros system pip you might need to upgrade pip:

pip install pip --upgrade

Appears to have happened in pull request #1519