[Python-Dev] "setuptools has divided the Python community"

[M.-A. Lemburg]

On 2009-03-27 15:00, Ronald Oussoren wrote:
> 
> On 27 Mar, 2009, at 7:49, M.-A. Lemburg wrote:
> 
>> On 2009-03-27 04:19, Guido van Rossum wrote:
>>> - keep distutils, but start deprecating certain higher-level
>>> functionality in it (e.g. bdist_rpm)
>>> - don't try to provide higher-level functionality in the stdlib, but
>>> instead let third party tools built on top of these core APIs compete
>>
>> Should this be read as:
>>
>> - remove bdist_rpm from the stdlib and let it live on PyPI
>>
>> ?
>>
>> Perhaps I just misunderstand the comment.
>>
>> I think that esp. the bdist_* commands help developers a lot by
>> removing the need to know how to build e.g. RPMs or Windows
>> installers and let distutils deal with it.
>>
>> The bdist_* commands don't really provide any higher level
>> functionality. They only provide interfaces to certain packaging
>> formats commonly used on the various platforms.
>>
>> Instead of removing such functionality, I think we should add
>> more support for standard packaging formats to distutils, e.g.
>> bdist_deb, bdist_pkg, etc.
> 
> IIRC the reason for wanting to deprecate bdist_rpm (and not adding
> bdist_deb, ...) is that the variour Linux distributions have varying
> policies for how to package Python code and those policies tend to vary
> on another schedule than the Python development schedule. The result of
> this is that the Linux distributors are incapable to use bdist_rpm. 

Hmm, I have heard different things - see my reply to Olemis :-)

Besides, the bdist_rpm command as well as the others are not only
for Linux distributors to use, but to help developers ship their
packages to their users *without* the help of some distribution,
ie. by providing an RPM or DEB file for download.

> It would therefore be better to ensure that Python packages / distutils can
> provide the metadata that's needed to build packages and move the actual
> creation of OS installers outside of the core where the tool can be
> maintained by people that have detailed knowlegde about the needs of the
> packaging system and system policies.

Fair enough, though, I'm sure we have enough developer knowledge
on board to maintain bdist_rpm and add a bdist_deb. Perhaps even
an bdist_dmg :-)

-- 
Marc-Andre Lemburg
eGenix.com

Professional Python Services directly from the Source  (#1, Mar 27 2009)
>>> Python/Zope Consulting and Support ...        http://www.egenix.com/
>>> mxODBC.Zope.Database.Adapter ...             http://zope.egenix.com/
>>> mxODBC, mxDateTime, mxTextTools ...        http://python.egenix.com/
________________________________________________________________________
2009-03-19: Released mxODBC.Connect 1.0.1      http://python.egenix.com/

::: Try our new mxODBC.Connect Python Database Interface for free ! ::::


   eGenix.com Software, Skills and Services GmbH  Pastor-Loeh-Str.48
    D-40764 Langenfeld, Germany. CEO Dipl.-Math. Marc-Andre Lemburg
           Registered at Amtsgericht Duesseldorf: HRB 46611
               http://www.egenix.com/company/contact/