[Python-Dev] Update to Python Documentation Website Request

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

David Lyon writes:
 > On Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:18:25 +0900, "Stephen J. Turnbull"
 > <stephen at xemacs.org> wrote:
 > > [1] on
 > > my part") and sysadmin goals ("something that works and plays nicely
 > > with the rest of the system").
 > > 
 > > pythonpkgmgr seems entirely oblivious to the latter issue, and not
 > > particularly compatible with the way package management works in *nix
 > > OSS distros (including Linux distros, but also *BSD, MacPorts, and
 > > Fink).  
 > 
 > Well I'm a sysadmin on linux in my day job.
 > 
 > I'm entirely wondering what you mean by that ? I'm oblivious how?

Not you; pythonpkgmgr.  You've said nothing about how pythonpkgmgr is
supposed to deal with multiple installed versions of Python or
individual modules, or how it helps if you need a custom version of a
module, etc., or how it can help the developer's "local" modules
cooperate/not interfere with system versions, etc.

 > What can a developer mode project, like pythonpkgmgr possibly do
 > except to make it easier to manage local package space?

Pave the road to DLL Hell with good intentions, of course.

 > A developer shouldn't need to do sudo every time they want
 > to put or try some python package from pypi.

I don't remember *ever* sudo-ing to try a package from pypi.

 > If the sysadmin puts a package in (/usr/lib/pythonX.Y/site-packages)
 > via the O/S package manager (ie synaptics/yum/apt) then that
 > should stick over what a developer is doing.

But I disagree about that, too.  The last thing I want is to have my
in-development environment hosed by system upgrades or installations.
Eventually I want to deal with that for deployment, but in the early
stages one can make faster progress on demos or initial target
platforms by sticking to particular versions of prerequisite libraries.

 > But the developer should be able to stick their own packages
 > in their own local space.
 > 
 > Correct me if my assertion is wrong.

"Should", yes.  But your assertion is incomplete IME: the developer
*is* able to install packages in their own local space *without*
sudo-ing.

I just don't understand what problem you're claiming to solve.  The
problem of managing local package space is in some sense solved by
virtualenv, but you haven't mentioned that at all.  Is pythonpkgmgr an
alternative?  A complement?  to virtualenv or zc.buildout?