[Distutils] PEP 376 - install/uninstall script in Distutils ?

[Tarek Ziadé]

On Wed, Apr 15, 2009 at 5:40 AM, Kevin Teague <kevin at bud.ca> wrote:
> -1 for install/uninstall scripts in Distutils
>
> I'd argue that the scope of Distutils is already wide enough that it doesn't
> need to be extended to also be a "package manager" -- even if it's a really
> simple one.
>
> If a install/uninstall tool does go into Python, I'd rather see it as
> something like 'simplepackageinstaller.install' instead of
> 'Distutils.scripts.install'. This would also make it more clear that this
> tool is simply working with the standard packaging formats and tools, and
> doesn't muddy the format/implementation as much as if it's just another part
> of Distutils.
>
> But then I don't think Python should have a built-in installer or package
> manager. There are excellent tools already available (Buildout, pip, dpkg,
> RPM), it would be better if we guided people to these tools and let them
> pick the right one for their installation use case.

I wouldn't put zc.buildout in the same level than pip or easy_install.
and I guess what we would have in DIstutils would be quite similar to
what easy_install
or pip offers.

>
> If there was a installer, I'm assuming it'd be quite a simple one - e.g.
> installs single-version into site-packages. This caters to well to casual
> user -- they can just run a "standard" command out-of-the-box and take-off
> running with a distribution, but it also teaches them bad habits (e.g. that
> you want to be commonly installing into site-packages or that you want to
> develop your own code without properly expressing it's dependencies). When
> they want to use better development practices, they'll have to switch to a
> "non-standard" tools to do "non-standard" installations.
>

For the "site-package" part, this is true, but so wrong. Many people
in this mailing list (and in real life) agrees that it's
wrong to install a package in site-packages.

So basically you are saying that a fresh Python installation teaches
people bad habits
because they end up installing packages in site-packages. And that
they should install
third party packages to have better practices. (eg like virtualenv or
zc.buildout)

It doesn't sound right. Imho Python shoulld provide multiple versions
for the same package.
and change its importer.

-- 
Tarek Ziadé | http://ziade.org