[Distutils] [Python Language Summit] Distutils / Packaging survey

[zooko]

On Jan 28, 2009, at 3:45 AM, David Cournapeau wrote:

>> I don't understand what are the potential problems, but so far  
>> I've been happy using stdeb to produce .deb's from my Python sdists.
>
> This is not the right solution for distributions maintainers: it is  
> a good tool for individual (it gives you uninstallation, etec...)  
> but .deb packages produced by stddeb are not debian-compatible, and  
> cannot be included in debian proper. This is not a critic of  
> stddeb, I think it is a very good tool and useful tool.

I've heard things like this from Debian developers before, and I  
don't understand.  Please provide me with more explanation.   I don't  
intend to put words in your mouth, but I will offer a few guesses as  
to why you say stddeb can't be used for Debian proper:

1.  You want the production of .deb's from Python packages to be done  
by a human instead of automatedly, therefore stdeb can't do it.

2.  You want the production of .deb's from Python packages to be done  
by a Debian developer instead of by the upstream developer of the  
Python package.

3.  It would be okay for this process to be automated (or semi- 
automated), but there's some flaw in the design of stdeb which means  
it will never be able to do it right unless stdeb is rewritten with a  
new design.

4.  It would be okay, and the general design of stdeb is okay, but  
there are some bugs in stdeb which currently cause it to produce the  
wrong results.

Thanks!

Regards,

Zooko
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