[Python-Dev] PEP 376

[Paul Moore]

2009/7/2 Ben Finney <ben+python at benfinney.id.au>:
> I think that calling distutils an “install program” is confusing. When
> I discuss distutils, I don't call it a program at all; it's a library
> (or perhaps “framework”) that provides part of the job of package
> installation.

I agree, but I consider the fact that distutils "provides" python
setup.py install means that it "is an install program" in some
people's minds. These are the same people who complain about the lack
of a distutils uninstall feature.

Personally, I want distutils to provide all the individual bits that I
get from bdist_wininst, so that I can put together an alternative for
specialised situations (notably, non-site installs of some packages).
So uninstall and being able to list installed packages are important
to me - hence my interest in this PEP.

Paul.