[Distutils] Current Python packaging status (from my point of view)

[Nick Coghlan]

Hi folks,

Prompted by a few posts I read recently about the current state of the
Python packaging ecosystem, I figured it made sense to put together an
article summarising my own perspective on the current state of things:
http://www.curiousefficiency.org/posts/2016/09/python-packaging-ecosystem.html

It's pretty long, so the short version tailored specifically for the
distutils-sig audience would be:

* restating the point that pip & conda solve different problems, so
while there's some overlap in their core capabilities, neither is a
substitute for the other
* we've actually managed to put some pretty hard problems behind us in
the last few years, so my thanks to everyone that's played a part in
that process
* some of the thorniest problems that still remain really do require
proper funding of the core ecosystem infrastructure (most notably
PyPI), which means that either commercial redistributors need to step
up and handle the problem on behalf of their customers, or else the
PSF needs to figure out alternative sources of funding (with "let's do
both!" really being my preferred outcome on that front)

Cheers,
Nick.

P.S. For the Twitter users amongst you, feel free to pass along my
link to the article:
https://twitter.com/ncoghlan_dev/status/777087670837088256

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia