[Python-Dev] External Package Maintenance

[Phillip J. Eby]

A01:01 PM 6/12/2006 -0700, Guido van Rossum wrote:
>I think I pretty much did already -- going forward, I'd like to see
>that contributing something to the stdlib means that from then on
>maintenance is done using the same policies and guidelines as the rest
>of the stdlib (which are pretty conservative as far as new features
>go), and not subject to the original contributor's veto or prior
>permission. Rolling back changes without discussion is out of the
>question.

I think there's some kind of misunderstanding here.  I didn't ask for veto 
or prior permission.  I just want to keep the external release in sync.

I also didn't roll anything back, at least not intentionally.  I was trying 
to merge the Python changes into the external release, and vice 
versa.  Two-way syncing is difficult and error-prone, especially when 
you're thinking you only need to do a one-way sync!  So if I managed to 
roll something back *un*intentionally in the process last night, I would 
hope someone would let me know.

That was my sole complaint: I requested a particular change process to 
ensure that syncing would be one-way, from wsgiref to Python.  If it has to 
be the other way, from Python to wsgiref, so be it.  However, my impression 
from PEP 360 was that the way I was asking for was the "One Obvious Way" of 
doing it.

This is not now, nor was it ever a control issue; I'd appreciate it if 
you'd stop implying that control has anything to do with it.  At most, it's 
a widespread ignorance and/or misunderstanding as to the optimum way of 
handling stdlib packages with external distribution.

It sounds like Barry has a potentially workable way of managing it that 
might reasonably be blessed as the One Obvious Way, and I'm certainly 
willing to try it.  I'd still rather have a Packages/ directory, but 
beggars can't be choosers.  However, if this is to be the One Obvious Way, 
it should be documented in a PEP as part of the "how packages get in the 
stdlib and how they're maintained".