[Python-Dev] how to easily consume just the parts of eggs that are good for you

[Paul Moore]

On 08/04/2008, zooko <zooko at zooko.com> wrote:
>  By the way, since I posted my proposal two weeks ago I have pointed a
>  couple of Python hackers who currently refuse to use eggs at the URL:
>
>  http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2008-March/078243.html
>
>  They both agreed that it made perfect sense.  I told one of them
>  about the alternate proposal to define a new database file to contain
>  a list of installed packages, and he sighed and rolled his eyes and
>  said "So they are planning to reinvent apt!".

I do think that a simple solution like that has some merit. It has two
significant downsides, however:

1. It requires that core Python "bless" the egg format to some extent
- something Guido has said he is unwilling to do.
2. It ignores the issue of package management completely. Personally,
I avoid anything that doesn't integrate with a unified package manager
(whether that be the Windows add/remove feature, or an
as-yet-to-be-built custom Python package manager is not important).

Filesystem commands do not a package manager make...

Paul.