[Python-Dev] Directory for packages maintained outside the core (was Re: ElementTree - Why not part of the core?)

[Andrew Bennetts]

On Mon, Dec 12, 2005 at 01:32:31PM +0000, Michael Hoffman wrote:
> [Hye-Shik Chang]
> >> I think "contrib" is somewhat conventional for the purpose.
> 
> [Steve Holden]
> > Indeed, but conventionally *all* code in the Python core is contributed,
> > and I think we need a name that differentiates externally-maintained
> > packages from the contributions that are integrated into the core and
> > maintained as part of it.
> 
> The same could be said of a lot of other projects that use the
> "contrib" convention. I have a much better idea of what "contrib"
> means than "kits" or "external."

I have a much better idea of what "contrib" means than "external", but it's the
wrong idea :)

"contrib" implies to me things that are not really a core part of the project
(just extras that may perhaps be of use to someone), and so they haven't
received the same quality control or integration (e.g. I wouldn't expect to find
documentation for it in the standard library reference).  Of course, I'm
thinking of "contrib" directories in tar.gz files when I think this, but if I
saw a contrib directory in SVN (without having seen this mailing list thread),
I'd probably assume the same of it.

"external" is much clearer to me, and has a clear parallel with SVN's
"svn:external" feature.  Either way, a simple README.txt in the directory could
explain things adequately.

-Andrew.