CPAN functionality for python

[Sean Reifschneider]

On Mon, Feb 12, 2001 at 11:02:04AM -0500, D-Man wrote:
>On Sun, Feb 11, 2001 at 02:06:37PM +0000, ssthapa at cs.uchicago.edu wrote:
>|   I've created a sort of proof of concept that implements something 
>| similar to perl's CPAN.  Right now, it allows basic user interaction 
>| and should be able to download and install modules.  
>
>Debian has a great system for package management and dependency
>resolving.  Maybe we should port dpkg/apt to all other OSes? ;-)

The first question I would ask is: is there any way we can leverage
the work done by the Trove project?  I really don't know the status
of that project though.  Eric?  Any way to leverage off the work done
by CPAN?  Trying to leverage off existing art is a good idea, but I
don't think that dpkg is the right sort of tool for it.  If the
system could integrate with dpkg, rpm, swinstall, great!

The other thing I'd say is exactly what I said to ESR about Trove:
it would be ideal if the system could deal with mirror functionality.
The central site(s) wouldn't necessarily have the content, but you'd
ask them and they'd tell you where you can get the content.

For example, you may ask about "filterinput", and it would report
that there are versions X and Y and Z.  Then you'd ask where to find
"filterinput" version X and it would give you a list of URLs that
have it (or the like).  Ideally, you'd then be able to send a light-weight
packet to the servers listed asking about their willingness to provide
that resource, but that could be optional.  It would be nice to be
able to easily prune out the mirrors that were already at capacity,
no longer had that file or that version, etc...

ESR dismissed it because it wasn't really possible to do with a regular
web or ftp client.  However, if we're probably going to have our own
client anyway (a browser isn't likely to be able to install the software
once it's downloaded).

The problem of finding a mirror that's still got the file and isn't
overloaded is certainly not getting any better though.

It's probably for the best that I didn't implement those ideas back in
'97 when I first discussed them with ESR...  I'd be in court and Metallica
would hate me.  ;-)

Sean
-- 
 Windows NT: From the people who brought you 640K and EDLIN
Sean Reifschneider, Inimitably Superfluous <jafo at tummy.com>
tummy.com - Linux Consulting since 1995. Qmail, KRUD, Firewalls, Python