[Doc-SIG] SGMLtools might go Python... (fwd)

[David Ascher]

FYI, in case y'all don't read the main list...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 14 Aug 1998 22:09:10 +0200
From: Cees de Groot <cg@bofh.cdg.acriter.nl>
Reply-To: cg@pobox.com
To: python-list@cwi.nl
Subject: SGMLtools might go Python...
Newsgroups: comp.lang.python

On the SGMLtools mailing list (see below for an intro to SGMLtools) we have
discussed dropping Perl in favour of Python. I've almost made up my mind
but for one thing: I don't want the schedule of SGMLtools 2.0 to slip too 
much (end of September, there should be a first release), and as I'm very
busy at the moment with my daytime job, this decision depends on people
willing out to help doing the port from Perl to Python.

Basically, the port involves three main targets:
- Ken MacLeod's PkgMaker is a Perl wrapper around RPM .spec files. As the
  build process heavily relies on this package and I don't want to keep
  Perl dependencies around, the relevant parts of this package need to be
  ported to Python;
- A number of small Perl scripts that form the Perl environment (8 scripts,
  a total of 1000 lines including the GNU blurb on top of every file :-)).
- Last, but most important, the Perl "glue" that sits between the user and
  Jade, jadetex, etcetera, needs to be redone. It is only 1400 lines
  over 10 files (again, including GNU blurbs etcetera), but the work here
  will form the foundation of SGMLtools - it needs to be open, extensible,
  etcetera. In a word: well thought-out.

I've made a mailing list for people who want to volunteer here - subscribe
by sending "subscribe python-port" to <majordomo@evrl.xs4all.nl>. This 
mailing list will be temporarily and ceases to exist when a SGMLtools 1.1
version has been put out without any Perl in it. If enough people volunteer
to get a solid Python foundation in a couple of weeks, I'll declare the
Perl->Python move official.

For people who don't know SGMLtools: it used to be called Linuxdoc-SGML,
and afterwards SGML-Tools. It is a package mainly targeted at writing
technical/software documentation. The 1.1 version is the first of a new
generation of the software, that bases on the DocBook DTD, Jade and DSSSL.
Information can be found at www.sgmltools.org

Regards


Cees de Groot
SGMLtools maintainer

-- 
Cees de Groot               http://pobox.com/~cg         <cg@pobox.com>
SGMLtools Maintainer        http://www.sgmltools.org