[PyVault-devel] Re: [Pydotorg] Re: Hi!

[Jeff Pitman]

I CC'd pyvault-devel for a historical record.

On Friday 10 September 2004 23:47, Chermside, Michael wrote:
> Why not be brave and include alphas (or at least betas) from Pyton
> 2.4? 

My first phase in the PyVault project is to provide compatibility 
interfaces for drop-in installations to existing distros.  Starting 
with Python 2.3.4 was actually the latest at the time when I began the 
project.  Providing this version, at the time, was quite advantageous.  
Anyway, I also provide forward compat packages to later distros for 
people that are either purists (attached to a particular 
version/dialect of Python) or have apps not ported to the later 
versions yet.  This provides maximum flexibility, the ability to 
drop-in to existing installs, and allows the user to switch between 
Python versions.

The next phase is to begin providing a ton of library packages in 
connection with the latest Python release.  This will legitimize the 
purpose of the repository even more because people will not have to 
worry about dependencies or rebuilds, etc. etc.  Setting up Quotient 
from divmod.org was actually the original catalyst in forcing me to 
make this plunge into packaging.  I just couldn't get it to work with 
Redhat 9 because either Python was too old or DB4 was too old or some 
package was missing.  Today, Quotient builds on RH7.3, RH9, FC1, and 
FC2.  Soon, SuSE 9.1.  This phase will actually be an ongoing 
process ... but, at the very least we now have the basic infrastructure 
to work from and can move on to beef up the base.

So the base, nucleus, core (whatever!) packages need some beefing up.  I 
had a Zoper request for Python 2.2.3 because of memory issues on 
long-running applications.  Now, your request for 2.4a3, 2.4b1, etc. 
will also need to be fielded in order for PyVault to fulfill the needs 
for the most wide-ranging set of users.

But ....

> Obviously, this is subject to limitations on your free time. 

!

I need people.  :)  PyVault will base it's repo directories on the 
following levels of stability:

1. graveyard - packages no longer supported
2. unstable - upstream alpha, beta releases and, where demand calls, cvs 
snapshots
3. testing - beta packages (wrt to PyVault packaging, not upstream)
4. stable - verified, tested, everyone's happy packages

Progression: unstable -> testing -> stable

The transition from unstable to testing most likely will only be made 
when an official release is made upstream.  A transition from testing 
to stable will be made after several weeks of testing and a couple of 
people say it's okay.

What I lack now is a set of people willing to take a risk on "testing".  
In the meantime, though, I will be doing this:

1. Building for SuSE.
2. Upping the 2.2.x line to 2.2.3.
3. Introducing an unstable area with upstream alpha/beta programs.
4. Building more library packages.

take care,
-- 
-jeff