[Python-Dev] ZIP File Instead of Installer

[Steve Holden]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your email, and the suggestion. A couple of things …

First, as webmaster we are simply volunteers who try to accept and process feedback *about the python.org <http://python.org/> web site*. We aren’t (mostly) actively involved in the development of the language, though we are all dedicated users - most of us either don’t have tie to take part in python-dev or feel we have already put our time in. So this isn’t the best channel for the particular inout you’re making.

Second, while it’s practical to put *most* of the stdlib in a zip file it may be impractical to put them *all* in there. I did some experiments (admittedly about eight years ago, so things may have changed) to enable an import mechanism that imported code from a relational database. Naturally there were modules that had to be loaded using the standard mechanisms - the ones I needed to import to enable my database imports! It’s a classical bootstrap problem.

Third, your idea would need considerable expansion before being actionable: consider the fact that there are millions of downloads of Python every month. Obviously there is huge amount of engineering detail to consider before releasing anything new - if an error only occurs one time in 100,000 that will lead to a substantial number of bug reports, so the dev tend to proceed fairly carefully and with much deliberation.

Fourth, I really like it that you are enthusiastic about Python, and would suggest you consider joining the python-dev mailing list. Start as a lurker, just reading what is said, and (since you are obviously thinking a lot as you learn Python) you will be surprised how much you pick up. The people on that list aren’t gods, they are just regular developers who happen to commit a lot of their time to Python’s development, and they rely on a continuous influx of new blood. So as long as you take your time getting to know the personalities involved and how the list works you are likely to find a welcome there. The day will arrive when you realize that rather to your surprise you have something to contribute.

There’s also the python-ideas list and, if you are nervous about just diving straight into python-dev, there’s the python-mentor list that was specifically designed to provide a sympathetic and uncritical response to enthusiasm such as you exhibit.

The caveat in all this is that as an old fart I haven’t actually been active on any of those lists for quite a while, so I am unsure how active they all are.

I hope this response is helpful. I’ve invested a lot of time in trying to make the Python ecosystem one that welcomes enthusiasm and energy, and lot of other people do the same, many of them more effectively than me. It seems to me that you have both enthusiasm and energy, which is why I’ve taken the time to encourage you to put it to use.

Good luck in your progress with Python.

regards
 Steve

PS: The mailing lists are all detailed on https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo <https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo>

> On Aug 31, 2015, at 9:48 PM, Alex Huffstetler <superdoom1 at outlook.com> wrote:
> 
> I have an idea. I had a problem with installing Python because I’m not an admin.
> My idea is you delete the installer and put all the files in a ZIP folder. It can make download time faster.
> Also, I made the Python logo out off underscores and pipes.
> If it dosen’t look right, put it somewhere on the Internet and it’ll look right.
>               _____________
>              |     .                 |
> _______|_______           |________
> |                                    |               |
> |             _____________|               |
> |            |                                       |
> |_______|            _______________|
>              |                 .     |
>              |_____________|

-- 
Steve Holden steve at holdenweb.com / +44 208 289 6308 / @holdenweb





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