[Python-Dev] setuptools in the stdlib ([Python-checkins] r45510 - python/trunk/Lib/pkgutil.py python/trunk/Lib/pydoc.py)

[Phillip J. Eby]

At 08:33 PM 4/19/2006 +0200, Ronald Oussoren wrote:
>Have you considered such a merger? It's rather odd to include a
>package in
>the stdlib that monkeypatches another part of the stdlib.

I assumed that it would be more controversial to merge setuptools into 
distutils, than to provide it as an enhanced alternative.

Also, there are two practical issues:

1. How to activate or deactivate backward compatibility for packages or 
people relying on intimate details of current distutils behaviors

2. Maintaining the existing version of setuptools to work with Python 2.3 
and 2.4, which would not have this integration with the distutils.