[Python-Dev] Single-file Python executables (was: Computed Goto dispatch for Python 2)

[Paul Moore]

On 28 May 2015 at 17:28, Chris Barker <chris.barker at noaa.gov> wrote:
> On Thu, May 28, 2015 at 9:23 AM, Chris Barker <chris.barker at noaa.gov> wrote:
>>
>> Barry Warsaw wrote:
>> >> I do think single-file executables are an important piece to Python's
>> >> long-term competitiveness.
>>
>> Really? It seems to me that desktop development is dying. What are the
>> critical use-cases for a single file executable?
>
>
> oops, sorry -- I see this was addressed in another thread. Though I guess I
> still don't see why "single file" is critical, over "single thing to
> install" -- like a OS-X app bundle that can just be dragged into the
> Applications folder.

On Windows, there's a strong interest in "no install" download-and-run
applications (.Net has "xcopy deployment", portable applications are a
big deal to some people).

"Just unzip the distribution somewhere and run the exe" is definitely
a selling point for that audience. And "download an exe and just run
it" is even more so. But the latter is definitely an incremental
improvement - the former is the big deal (IMO).

Paul