[Catalog-sig] Withdrawing PEP 262

[Thomas Heller]

David Ascher <DavidA@ActiveState.com> writes:

> Martin v. Loewis wrote:
> 
> >Chris Liechti <cliechti@gmx.net> writes:
> >
> >
> 
> >>i use Debian Linux, which has a great package management system too
> >>and it's very nice when all the dependencies are installed along with
> >>a python extension. i understand you're exitement.
> >>
> >>but... not all systems have a package management system, e.g. on
> >>windows rules chaos.
> >>
> 
> >
> >That may be true in general, but on Windows, it is not. There is a
> >database of installed packages, complete with uninstallation etc.
> >

I was wondering if it would make sense (now that PEP262 is no longer),
to convert these *-wininst.log files somewhat more into package
database components.

Currently these files contain a list of files created, directories
created, registry keys and values added to the system by the
installation program.

All this is used to cleanly remove the package from the system if
it is no longer needed.

Other info in these files is:
- the windows installer exe pathname used to install the package
- the name (including the version) of the package installed, for
  example Numeric-20.3
- the command line for removing this package (used by the
  add/remove programs Windows applet.

This information could be used also by a python program to verify
that all files are still present, to display the name and version,
to remove the package, and maybe more.

To extend the possibilities, would it make sense to include more
information into these files, starting with the metadata info
for the package at least, see PEP 242.

> In fact what I think is wrong with both Windows and many other
> systems' is that they tend to be  'one-level' systems -- it's hard to
> define a "subsystem" installation.  It'd be nice if every python
> module installed didn't show up in the ever-growing list of programs
> under Add/Remove Programs.  Or are there subtleties to the Windows
> Installer that I haven't heard of?
> 

Given the above, it would be easy to write a slick command line or gui
python app with a nice user interface for displaying, removing,
verifying, and maybe sometime downloading and installing packages.

Thomas