[Distutils] Re: [Python-checkins] python/dist/src/Lib/distutils sysconfig.py,1.52,1.53

[M.-A. Lemburg]

Jeremy Hylton wrote:
>>>>>>"MH" == Michael Hudson <mwh@python.net> writes:
> 
> 
>   MH> "M.-A. Lemburg" <mal@lemburg.com> writes:
>   >> Python 1.5.2 is still in active use out there. It's not worth
>   >> breaking code just for cosmetic reasons.
> 
>   MH> But are these 1.5.2 users going to see any new distutils code?
>   MH> I.e. do people who still run 1.5.2 occasionally upgrade their
>   MH> distutils installation?  I'd be surprised, but could always be
>   MH> wrong.
> 
>   MH> It would be a good idea to leave the last 1.5.2 compatible
>   MH> released distutils tarball somewhere prominent in any case.
> 
> Python 1.5.2 users have been running with distutils 1.0.2 for about a
> year and a half now.  We haven't heard any complaints from them about
> the lack of releases for 1.5.2.  

Maybe that's because package developers have tried to keep
1.5.2 compatibility by adding bug fixes to their setup.pys ?!
I know that I've done this in the past.

> I believe the last release was good
> enough for 1.5.2.  If someone can live with all the bugs and
> out-of-date stuff in 1.5.2, they can live with a slightly out-of-date
> distutils, too.

If they won't be able to compile distutils packages anymore,
they certainly won't feel good about it.

> It's a pain in the neck to hack on distutils and be careful to avoid
> accidentally adding code that won't work with 1.5.2.

Huh ? Avoiding string methods isn't all that hard.

Instead of discussing code cosmetics we should look into
adding more packagers for e.g. debian and freebsd. These
things are much more important, IMHO.

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
CEO eGenix.com Software GmbH
_______________________________________________________________________
eGenix.com -- Makers of the Python mx Extensions: mxDateTime,mxODBC,...
Python Consulting:                               http://www.egenix.com/
Python Software:                    http://www.egenix.com/files/python/