Hello, I apologize for cross-posting. I am working on improving how I distribute a few python packages, and in the process I have run into some questions that involve easy_install, setuptools/distribute/, pip, and the relationships between them. I was originally planning on using easy_install to take advantage of extras (easy_install foo[bar]) and automatically install dependencies, but I just discovered that easy_install does not support post-installation routines, which I need in order to add entries to the windows start menu. Pip will, I think, support post_installation routines if I implement a custom install command and pass it to setup(). But pip does not yet support extras or installation from windows binary installers, and does not support installation from eggs. The pip documentation states: * It cannot install from eggs. It only installs from source. (In the future it would be good if it could install binaries from Windows .exe or .msi -- binary install on other platforms is not a priority.) * It doesn't understand Setuptools extras (like package[test]). This should be added eventually. * It is incompatible with some packages that customize distutils or setuptools in their setup.py files. * Maybe it doesn't work on Windows. At least, the author doesn't test on Windows often. Questions concerning pip: * Is there a roadmap or timeline concerning installing from windows exe or msi files? I didn't see anything at bitbucket. * Is there a roadmap or timeline concerning extras? I didn't see anything at bitbucket. * Could anyone please expand on the comment that pip is incompatible with some packages that customize distutils or setuptools in their setup.py files, and that it maybe doesn't work on windows? Questions concerning Distribute: * The documentation states that easy_install will be deprecated, and that we should use pip. Isn't this premature, given the current discrepancy between the capabilities and platform support of pip and easy_install? Questions for pip and Distribute: * How closely coupled are these projects? * I have a bit of time after hours, how can I help? Darren