[Python-Dev] Fixing #7175: a standard location for Python config files

[Éric Araujo]

Hello list

Tarek opened a distutils bugs in http://bugs.python.org/issue7175 that
evolved into a discussion about the proper location to use for config files.

Distutils uses [.]pydistutils.cfg and .pypirc, and now unittest2 has a
config file too.

It would be nice to define one standard location for config files used
by stdlib modules, and maybe also by third-party programs related
closely to Python development (testing tools, static code checkers and
the like), in a way that doesn’t clutter the user home directory with a
dozen dotfiles while still being easily found.

(The Unix notions of dotfiles and home directory have to be adapted to
use non-dotfiles in some standard place on various Windows. The Mac
experts disagree on the right directory to use.)

Tarek, Antoine, RDM, MAL were +1 on using ~/.python (whether to use
.pythonx.y or .python/x.y is a subissue to discuss after general agreement).

What do you think about this?

Regards