[Python-Dev] Miscellaneous 2.0 installation issues

[Guido van Rossum]

> Guido van Rossum <guido@digicool.com>:
> > Not all the world is Linux.  CML2 isn't the only Python application
> > that matters.  Python world domination is not a goal.  There is no
> > Eric conspiracy! :-)
> 
> Perhaps I misunderstood you, then.  I thought you considered CML2 an
> potentially important design win, and that was why curses didn't get
> dropped from the core.  Have you changed your mind about this?

Supporting CML2 was one of the reasons to keep curses in the core, but
not the only one.  Linux kernel configuration is so far removed from
my daily use of computers that I don't have a good way to judge its
importance in the grand scheme of things.  Since you obviously
consider it very important, and since I generally trust your judgement
(except on the issue of firearms :-), your plea for keeping, and
improving, curses support in the Python core made a difference in my
decision.  And don't worry, I don't expect to change that decision
-- though I personally still find it curious that curses is so important.
I find curses-style user interfaces pretty pathetic, and wished that
Linux migrated to a real GUI for configuration.  (And the linuxconf
approach does *not* qualify as a a real GUI. :-)

> If Python world domination is not a goal then I can only conclude that
> you haven't had your morning coffee yet :-).

Sorry to disappoint you, Eric.  I gave up coffee years ago. :-)

I was totally serious though: my personal satisfaction doesn't come
from Python world domination.  Others seem have that goal, and if it
doesn't inconvenience me too much I'll play along, but in the end I've
got some goals in my personal life that are much more important.

> There's a more general question here about what it means for something
> to be in the core language.  Developers need to have a clear,
> bright-line picture of what they can count on to be present.  To me
> this implies that it's the job of the Python maintainers to make sure
> that a facility declared "core" by its presence in the standard
> library documentation is always present, for maximum "batteries are
> included" effect.  

We do the best we can.  Using the current module configuration system,
it's a one-character edit to enable curses if you need it.  With
Andrew's new scheme, it will be automatic.

> Yes, dealing with cross-platform variations in linking curses is a
> pain -- but dealing with that kind of pain so the Python user doesn't
> have to is precisely our job.  Or so I understand it, anyway.

So help Andrew: http://python.sourceforge.net/peps/pep-0229.html

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)