[Distutils] guidance for contributing to packaging docs

[Marcus Smith]

Yes, the structure for the packaging guide has changed a few times, but
hopefully, <knock on wood>, we've reached the tail end of that.  It's
currently marked up with numerous FIXME comments, specifically on the
"Advanced Topics" page:
https://python-packaging-user-guide.readthedocs.org/en/latest/additional.html

Beyond the guide, there's always the individual project docs:  pip,
virtualenv, setuptools, wheel, distlib
(btw, my plan is to refactor most of those to a consistent structure and
style;  I have issues open for the refactors in the user guide tracker; I'm
currently working on pip and setuptools)

As for the python.org docs, Nick Coghlan has already added notes to the top
of the old "Installing/Distributing Python Modules" guides pointing to the
new packaging user guide.  Eventually, both of the old guides need to
disappear in their current form, and be re-organized just as a distutils
reference that covers install schemes, commands, options etc... and that's
self-aware of it's place in the current ecosystem.

As for ensurepip/PEP453, I don't think that changes too much of the user
guide documentation, except for a few places on installation, and to make
"pyenv" more prominent (which is currently mentioned in footnotes only).
PEP453 is already mentioned in a couple places in the Guide.

--Marcus



On Sun, Feb 9, 2014 at 6:26 AM, Alex Burke <alexjeffburke at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I've been a regular reader of the packaging mailing list for a little
> while now and, though I don't yet feel up to working on code, wanted to see
> if I could help with documentation as both an exercise in my understanding
> as well as being able to help others (I struggled a little mid to late last
> year trying to figure out best practices for packaging Python code).
>
> My question might seem a little broad, but where would it be most useful
> to focus documentation contributions? For example I know the python
> packaging guide is being fleshed out, but it's seemed somewhat in a state
> of flux and keeping up with reorganisations has been a little tricky.
>
> Any pointers or specific suggestions would be really useful. Perhaps it
> would it be best to wait until Python 3.4 ships with ensurepip given how
> much advicethat might affect?
>
> Incidentally, thought I'd mention it is a very welcome surprise to those I
> have spoken to about Python that it will soon have an integrated and
> blessed package managing solution that ships with default builds. It seems
> to be a common point of confusion or even slight or against what is
> otherwise considered a fantastic language. Kudos to everyone involved.
>
> Thanks, Alex J Burke.
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
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