[Distutils] Deprecate MANIFEST.in

[Ben Finney]

David Cournapeau <david at ar.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp> writes:

> Ben Finney wrote:
> > Tarek Ziadé <ziade.tarek at gmail.com> writes:
> >> It doesn't make sense to have the list of the files in .svn or
> >> .hg files. for your package.
> >
> > Again, why not? If I'm using a VCS for my source files, then the
> > VCS is the Single Point of Truth for the inventory of source
> > files.
> 
> depending on your definition of sources, it is not. The VCS is there to
> track a project, but sdist is a *distribution* mean. It is a packaged
> version of your software - simple, but packaged nonetheless. There has
> to be a (potential) difference between what goes in sdist and what is
> recorded in the VCS. Python packaging is the only tool I am aware which
> say both are equal.

Okay, but that's a far cry from saying that it “doesn't make sense” to
use the VCS inventory.

> The duplication argument could be made the other way: why
> duplicating with sdist what the VCS offers you ?

Yes, that's exactly my point.

The sdist needs to be generated and distributed, since that's the
common interface for recipients to get at the software for
installation. My point is that that process of generating the sdist
should re-use available information, e.g. from the existing VCS
information which the developer has access to, it should be used from
that source.

-- 
 \     “Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?” “Um, I think so, |
  `\    Brainie, but why would anyone want to Pierce Brosnan?” —_Pinky |
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Ben Finney