[Distutils] waf can be used to compile Python extension modules

[Vinay Sajip]

> Step 3 ("what, if anything, should replace the setup.py CLI as the
> build system abstraction?") [...] research/documentation consolidation
> project at this point than it is a design project.


FYI, I've been experimenting with a design approach for a build system in
distil. Currently it only covers what distutils/setuptools already do - i.e.
build_py functionality + build_ext functionality covering libraries,
extensions, setuptools Features, Cython / Pyrex and Fortran / f2py. Not too
shabby, but clearly that's not enough. Instead of compiler classes (the
abstractions used in distutils / setuptools), distil's approach focuses on
a command line with variable placeholders - this allows just about anything
to be plugged in for custom builds. There's still work to be done on it, but
the initial approach looks promising.

Regards,

Vinay Sajip