[Python-Dev] Another mercurial repo

[Tarek Ziadé]

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 10:54 PM, Dirkjan Ochtman <dirkjan at ochtman.nl> wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 21:56, Tarek Ziadé <ziade.tarek at gmail.com> wrote:
>> No that would be just a new fresh empty repository for "distutils 2"
>> that will be developed outside the Python stdlib for a while, and will
>> enventually get back into it when it's ready I guess.
>>
>> I figured it would be easier for people to fork/clone it to work on it
>> if ts a DVCS, even if it's just me that can push in it for the moment.
>>
>> But if this is too much trouble right now don't worry about it.
>
> Sounds good, per the policy for Mercurial hosting, see the other
> thread (but weren't you going to improve distutils, instead of
> rewriting it?).

I am improving it, continuing the work that has been started.

Here's the bottom line:

We decided during the language summit that I would perform this work
outside the stdlib (e.g. fork
distutils), and leave the current distutils in its current state to
avoid any backward compat work nightmares, and possible issues with
some third party projects that might be sensitive to some changes even
if performed in the internals. (it happened)

The new PEPs will be implemented in distutils2 (non-definitive name)
and I'll be able to remove
stuff we don't want to keep in there without worrying. I was reluctant
with this idea at first because I've started to work on this in
distutils itself and I wanted the work to be included in 2.7 so we
wouldn't wait 18 more months.

But now I am fully convinced this is the best plan : around the time
2.7 is out, we will be able to release distutils2 and provide a
version for 2.4/2.5/2.6/3.1 as well, and get feedback from the
community to prepare a rock-solid version for 3.3. And if we make some
mistakes in it, we will be able to correct them faster.

We do want this package in the stdlib, because its part of what people
are expecting in the batteries included, but as Guido explained during
the summit, a package in the stdlib has one foot in the grave.

> Only problem is, right now you could only push through
> me. So, start off in hg, put it on bitbucket for now and we'll set it
> up on hg.p.o when Martin gets back to me (also see the other thread).

Sounds good, thanks

Tarek
-- 
Tarek Ziadé | http://ziade.org