[DOC-SIG] Postscript vs. PDF

[Jeff Rush]

On Wed, 19 Nov 1997 11:43:34 -0500 Guido wrote:

>So I propose the following set of distributions:
>
>    - Full source distribution, containing C source, Latex doc source, and
>    the standard library
>
>    - Small source distribution, containing C source and the standard library
>
>    - HTML distribution
>
>    - PostScript distribution
>
>    - PDF distribution
>
>    - Platform specific Unix binary distributions; these don't include
>    HTML nor the standard library, only the python binary and dynamically
>    loaded extensions (if applicable)
>
>    - Addeddum for platform specific Unix binary distributions, containing
>    the standard library and the HTML docs

Hmmm, maybe python.org (CNRI?) personnel don't manage the non-Unix stuff due
to lack of PCs in-house but I don't see any Non-Unix distributions in your
list above.  I'm certainly willing to provide a complete OS/2 binaries set at
any point in time.

For the PC world, I'd propose:

    End-User Distribution:
        Platform-specific binaries and dyn extensions, standard library,
        and HTML documentation.

    This package lets a new user pick his platform and get up and running
    as quickly as possible, and gives him a single download.  New users
    often want to hit-and-run a web site and get enough to evaluate whether
    to invest more time.  I would provide docs in HTML only here, to minimize
    the user's investment in effort.


    Developer-Kit Addendum Distribution:
        Include files, link libraries

    This package is for the part-time developer who wants to extend or
    embed Python but not become a full kernel developer.  His work would
    take the form of DLLs that get imported by a Python script.


    Full Developer Distribution:
        C sources, include files, standard library

    This package is for the developer who wants to totally rebuild Python
    and hence includes no binaries.  Such a developer will have diverse
    tastes in docs and will pick his flavor from one of the below:


    HTML Distribution:
        Only documentation

    PDF Distribution:
        Only documentation

    Postscript Distribution:
        Only documentation

And as I said, I've willing to echo back any release in
platform-specific format.  I'd just like to see the platform
section on the main www.python.org page cleaned up a bit,
listing all platforms supported and giving an easy way to
download.  Right now you have to rummage around a bit in the
FTP area.

Jeff Rush





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