[Python-Dev] PEP 382 specification and implementation complete

["Martin v. Löwis"]

I had announced this to import-sig already; now python-dev.

I have now written an implementation of PEP 382, and fixed some details
of the PEP in the process. The implementation is available at

http://hg.python.org/features/pep-382-2/

With this PEP, a Python package P can consist of either a P/__init__.py
directory and module, or multiple P.pyp directories, or both. Using a
directory suffix resulted from the following requirements/observations:
- people apparently prefer an approach where a directory has to be
  declared as a Python package (several people commented this after
  my PyConDE talk, expressing dislike of how Java packages are
  "unflagged" directories)
- people also commented that any declaration should indicate that this
  is about Python, hence the choice of .pyp as the directory suffix.
- in choosing between a file marker inside of the directory (e.g.
  zope-interfaces.pyp) and a directory suffix, the directory suffix
  wins for simplicity reasons. A file marker would have to have a
  name which wouldn't matter except that it needs to be unique - which
  is a confusing requirement that people likely would fail to meet.

In the new form, the PEP was much easier to implement than in the first
version (plus I understand import.c better now).

This implementation now features .pyp directories, zipimporter support,
documentation and test cases.

As the next step, I'd like to advance this to ask for pronouncement.

Regards,
Martin