[Distutils] why would you ever need to specify setuptools as a dependency?

[Chris Withers]

Fred Drake wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 12:26 PM, Chris Withers <chris at simplistix.co.uk> wrote:
>> You're ignoring the fact that for the information in install_requires to
>> even be parsed, you need to have setuptools present.
> 
> install_requires is processed at install time.  At that time, clearly,
> setuptools/distribute is present.

By "is", I'm sure you mean "needs to be". Specifying setuptools in 
install_requires is pointless chicken-and-egg'ing. But maybe I mean 
"setup_requires" thanks to setuptools "interesting" parameter naming ;-)

> That's not necessarily the case at run time.  I see no reason to
> expect that having setuptools or distribute on sys.path at install
> time would cause it to necessarily be on the path at run time if my
> package doesn't provide information that it's needed at run time.

Fair point.

>> I'll say it again: it seems pointless specifying a requirement that has to
>> be met before any requirement specifications can even be processed...
> 
> It doesn't sound to me like you've used buildout nearly as much as easy install.

Er? I *only* use buildout, however, I think I may have exempted myself 
by avoiding namespace packages until PEP 382 is done, dusted and in a 
python release.

Chris

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