[Python-Dev] pkgutil, pkg_resource and Python 3.0 name space packages

[Michael Foord]

Paul Moore wrote:
> On 09/01/2008, Michael Foord <fuzzyman at voidspace.org.uk> wrote:
>   
>> Note today's Coding Horror blog entry: "Don't Pollute User Space"
>>
>> http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001032.html
>>
>>  Keep your dirty, filthy paws out of my personal user space!
>>     
>
> :-) Absolutely
>
> [...]
>   
>> If applications need to store shared files, that's what the \AppData and
>> \Application Data folders are for.
>>
>> Sentiments I agree with...
>>     
>
> Yes, with the one proviso that Windows (XP, at least, maybe Vista is
> actually better in this regard) makes it extremely difficult for the
> user to manually do anything in these directories, 

Only because Windows XP uses a stupidly long path with spaces in it. 
It's not actually *hard* to navigate manually to these directories.

If the windows installers created by the 'bdist' commands allow you to 
automatically put stuff there then it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

> so that I'd say
> this is only appropriate for fully application-maintained files. As
> far as I know, Windows lacks any really sensible place to store
> application configuration data which is meant to be user edited on
> occasion (e.g. rc/ini files, startup scripts, etc).
>   

What user editing is *meant* to be done with extension modules installed 
into a site directory. Programmer editing maybe... :-)

Michael Foord
> That's often what I see ending up in %USERPROFILE% - even though as
> Christian points out, it's "officially" wrong.
>
> Paul.
>
>