[Python-Dev] Aligning the packaging.python.org theme with the rest of the docs

[Nick Coghlan]

Hi folks,

Over on https://github.com/pypa/python-packaging-user-guide/pull/305#issuecomment-304169735
we're looking to update the theming of packaging.python.org to match
that of the language documentation at docs.python.org.

Doing that would also entail updating the documentation of the
individual tools and services (pip, pypi, setuptools, wheel, etc) to
maintain consistency with the main packaging user guide, so Jon has
tentatively broken the theme out as a (not yet published anywhere)
"pypa-theme" package to make it easier to re-use across multiple
projects.

The question that occurred to me is whether or not it might make more
sense to instead call that package "psf-docs-theme", to reflect that
it's intended specifically for projects that are legally backed by the
PSF, and that general Python projects looking for a nice,
high-contrast, theme should consider using an org independent one like
Alabaster instead.

Thoughts? Should we stick with pypa-theme as the name? Switch to
psf-docs-theme? Publish both, with pypa-theme adding PyPA specific
elements to a more general psf-docs-theme?

Cheers,
Nick.

P.S. In case folks aren't aware of the full legal arrangements here:
in addition to the informal "Python Packaging Authority" designation,
there's also a formally constituted PSF Packaging Working Group that
provides the legal connection back to the PSF. That means the
relationship between PyPA and the PSF ends up being pretty similar to
the one between python-dev and the PSF, where there's no direct PSF
involvement in day to day development activities, but the PSF provides
the legal and financial backing needed to sustainably maintain popular
community-supported software and services.

Part of my rationale for suggesting the inclusion of "psf" in the
package name is to make it clear that the intent would be to create a
clear and distinctive "trade dress" for the documentation of directly
PSF backed projects:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_dress#Protection_for_electronic_interfaces_and_websites

Future requests to use the theme (beyond CPython and the PyPA) could
then be run through the PSF Trademarks committee, as with requests to
use the registered marks.

Whereas if we go with pypa-theme, then that would just be a
non-precedent-setting agreement between PyPA and CPython to share a
documentation theme, without trying to define any form of
documentation trade dress for the PSF in general.

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia