[Python-Dev] bdist_* to stdlib?

[Trent Mick]

[Greg Ewing wrote]
> MacOSX seems to be the only system so far that has got
> this right -- organising the system so that everything
> related to a given application or library can be kept
> under a single directory, clearly labelled with a
> version number.

ActivePython and MacPython have to install stuff to:

    /usr/local/bin/...
    /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/...
    /Applications/MacPython-2.4/...  # just MacPython does this
    /Library/Documentation/Help/...
        # Symlink needed here to have a hope of registration with
        # Apple's (crappy) help viewer system to work.

Also, a receipt of the installation ends up here:

    /Library/Receipts/$package_name/...

though Apple does not provide tools for uninstallation using those
receipts.

Mac OS X's installation tech ain't no panacea. If one is just
distributing a single .app, then it is okay. If one is just distributing
a library with no UI (graphical or otherwise) for the user, then it is
okay. And "okay" here still means a pretty poor installation experience
for the user: open DMG, don't run the app from here, drag it to your
Applications folder, then eject this window/disk, then run it from
/Applications, etc.

Trent

-- 
Trent Mick
TrentM at ActiveState.com