[Python-Dev] My summit notes (packaging)

[Jim Fulton]

On Mar 27, 2009, at 9:25 PM, P.J. Eby wrote:

> At 03:06 PM 3/27/2009 -0500, Tarek Ziadé wrote:
>> They both aim at the
>>  same goal besides a few differences, and they both rely
>>  on a new metadata introduced by setuptools, wich is.
>>  "install_requires". This new metadata extends the metadata.
>>  described in PEP 314 but is slightly different from.
>>  what is descibred in the Draft PEP 345  ("Requires").
>> ..
>>  PEP 345 introduces "Requires" and "Provides" wich are
>>  are implemented in Distutils and PyP, but are not
>>  widely used. 40 out of +4000 if I remember correctly. Martin will
>>  correct me here if I am wrong.
>
> FYI, The reason setuptools uses a different way of specifying  
> requirements is that the PEP-proposed way could not be used without  
> some kind of indexed repository of packages -- and PyPI did not  
> index "provides" at the time.  Also, the PEP-proposed versioning  
> scheme was not compatible with the versioning schemes actually used  
> in the field at the time.


There's a deeper issue IMO.  As Kevin pointed out, distutil's Requires  
data works at the module and package level, rather than at the project  
level.  I can see some value in this, but I think working at the  
project level is a lot simpler and more practically useful.

Jim

--
Jim Fulton
Zope Corporation