[Python-ideas] size of the installation of Python on mobile devices

[Xavier de Gaye]

Issue 26852 [1] proposes an enhancement to reduce the size of the Python
installation by using a sourceless distribution. It seems that
discussion on this problem (the size of the Python installation on
mobile devices) should be moved here.

IMHO there is no need to debate on the fact that a full install of
Python on a mobile device today is a problem.

As a reference, here is a raw estimation of the sizes of the different
installs:

     full install: 111M
     without the test suite: 53M
     without the test suite and as a sourceless distribution: 23M
     same as above but also without ensurepip: 14M

It would be useful to find the references to the previous discussions
related to sourceless distributions, especially the reasons why their
use is discouraged.

Xavier

[1] http://bugs.python.org/issue26852