[Python-Dev] Re: Patch level versions and new features (Was: Some dull gc stats)

[Guido van Rossum]

> > Perhaps we could have some kind of category for distutils
> > packages which marks them as system add-ons vs. site add-ons.
> 
> +1 -- this should definitely be up to the package author/packager, not
> the local admin.  I once tried to convince Guido that the ability to
> occasionally upgrade standard library modules/packages would be a good
> thing, but he wasn't having it.  Any change of heart, O Mighty BDFL?

Before I answer that, here's a question.  Why do we think it's a good
idea to distribute upgrades as separate add-ons while we don't think
it's okay to distribute such upgrades with bugfix releases?  Doesn't
this just increase the variability of site configurations, and hence
version interaction hell?

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