[Python-Dev] PEP 453 (pip bootstrapping) ready for pronouncement?

[Paul Moore]

On 27 September 2013 15:39, Mark Lawrence <breamoreboy at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> On 27/09/2013 15:26, Paul Moore wrote:
>
>> So, for Windows users, installing a package becomes "pip install XXX".
>>
>
> Apologies if this has already been said but it only works if you've already
> installed an appropriate compiler.  I've lost count of the number of times
> I've tried this, got the (rather cyptic) "error: Unable to find
> vcvarsall.bat" message and then gone off to find a suitable binary download.

I was assuming that you had whatever's necessary to install - a
compiler, any necessary libraries, whatever. Or more plausibly, as
Donald pointed out, a wheel.

But yes, you're right, this doesn't solve the problem of *building*
distributions. It's not intended to (except by enabling communities to
start distributing wheels as a pain-free binary solution). Whether
that's an issue depends on the community (AIUI, it's a major hassle
for scientific users, not so much for web developers, for example)

Paul