[Python-3000] stdlib as .zip by default, pydoc to view source?

[Antoine Pitrou]

Neil Schemenauer <nas <at> arctrix.com> writes:
> I wonder if it would make sense to start installing the Python
> standard library as a .zip file by default.  Some benefits would be
> a tidier and more compact install and slightly faster startup times.

Are any users complaining about Python's install size?

As for startup time, do we have any eloquent data? For example, here
is with the current py3k on my machine:

$ time ./python -c ""
0.06user 0.00system 0:00.07elapsed 100%CPU (0avgtext+0avgdata 0maxresident)k
0inputs+0outputs (0major+1021minor)pagefaults 0swaps

> One downside is that it becomes more difficult to look at the source
> of modules.  That's an important feature of Python, especially for
> people learning the language.  
> 
> I think that downside could be mitigated by adding an option to
> pydoc that shows the source of a module.  For example, "pydoc -s
> bisect" could show the source for the bisect module.

When you have an unexpected traceback for instance it is pratical
to go and read the various source files participating in the traceback
without having to type lots of "pydoc -s" commands to get at the files.
(also, the traceback normally shows the exact path to the file, which
doesn't work if the sources are in a zip)

It is a common argument against setuptools' "zip by default" behaviour.