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

[Chris Angelico]

On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 2:28 AM, Chris Barker <chris.barker at noaa.gov> wrote:
> 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.

There's also "single thing to uninstall", which IMO is more important.
If I download a tiny program that's supposed to just do one tiny
thing, and it has to install itself into Program Files, Common Files,
Windows\System32, and Documents & Settings\my-user-name\Applications,
then I have to hope it has a proper uninstaller. If it's a single
executable that just does its stuff (or, failing that, a single zip
file that I extract to anywhere and run the program), I can expect
that deleting that file (or directory) will get rid of it all. Of
course, it's entirely possible that it's gone and left its droppings
all over the system, but that's a matter of trust - a legit program
won't lie about that.

Is this a Windows-specific issue, or is it also intended for Linux and
Mac OS, where there'll already be a system Python (so a
single-file-executable would be used to be independent of the system
Python)?

ChrisA