[Python-Dev] Incorporating external packages into Python's std distribution

[skip@pobox.com]

    >> Just say "go", and I'll start working on this.

    Jeremy> Are you still waiting for someone to say go?  I'm not sure what
    Jeremy> responsible party should say it; if I'm not the right person,
    Jeremy> would the right person please say "go."

Can we take the absence of an explicit "stop" as an implicit "go"? <wink>

BTW, there is one project I'm theoretically familiar with that attempts to
handle the dual source situation: XEmacs.  I'm still trying to come to terms
with the practical issues involved.  I'm supposed to be updating the
python-mode code, and am only taking baby steps in that direction, so I'm
probably not the best person to describe how it works, but here goes.

For any given externally maintained package you give it a place to live in
the xemacs-packages CVS repository.  Each file gets two versions, e.g.,
python-mode.el and python-mode.el.upstream.  I believe the intent is that
the difference between the two represents XEmacs-specific changes to the
code.  When you import a new version of your code, you're supposed to factor
in the diffs between the upstream version and the XEmacs version.  You could
maintain a context/unified diff instead I suppose, then just update the
.upstream version and patch it to get the candidate version.

Skip