Python program distribution revisited

[Steve Holden]

"Chris Liechti" <cliechti at gmx.net> wrote ...
> Mark C <mchalkley at notthispart.direcway.com> wrote :
> > I looked at starting to use Python instead of Perl for custom data
> > conversion programs a couple years ago, but discarded the idea because
> > of the difficulty in distributing standalone Python apps to production
> > machines.
> >
> > Have there been any significant improvements to Python in this regard in
> > the interim?  Is this an area ActiveState has addressed, for example, as
> > they did with their Perl PDK?  I'd really like to use Python in the
> > future, but the ability to easily produce an exe that's (relatively)
> > small in size, and requires no additional files, is an absolute
> > necessity.
>
> there is McMillans Installer an py2exe. both are realy easy to use.
>
> both normaly create an exe containing all the scripts, but the additional
> DLLs are separate in the same directory. thats verry well suited for most
> cases.
> if you absolutely need one file, either Installer can produce a self
> extracting, executing and cleaning up archive or you take freeze (or
> similar) and link all the libs staticaly. the later can go from beeing
very
> easy (python only + simple extensions) to beeing very hard when many
> external libs are used (like GUIs etc)
>

Also note that Python is probably around where Perl was ten years ago in
terms of distribution, but growing fast in popularity. Fairly soon now (as
opposed top RSN :-) you should be able to rely on new computers having
Python support built in. Then you just have the same versioning problems you
get with Perl, and no need to distribute in installer form. Although there's
no reason why installer distribution shouldn't continue to work just like it
does now.

Does the Windows environment include Perl by default? How do you distribute
your applications to Windows users?

regards
 Steve
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Steve Holden                                 http://www.holdenweb.com/
Python Web Programming                http://pydish.holdenweb.com/pwp/
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