Comments on Python Redesign

[rzed]

Graham Fawcett wrote:
> Nick Vargish <nav+posts at bandersnatch.org> wrote in message
> news:<m3smn772ka.fsf at tanelorn.bandersnatch.org>...
>> I really like the idea of the PSF selling boxed python distros for
>> around $300. People who make the business decisions _like_ spending
>> money on a product -- it's somehow comforting to them. Include
>> bound copies of the Tutorial and Library Reference, to give the
>> box some weight and make it clear that they are paying for
>> something more than a CD of "free software". (Spiral bound
>> documents, please!)
>>
>> I'm hoping that my boss will be shelling out for some Komodo Pro
>> licenses, partly for the above reason. The other part of the
>> reason is that once money is spent on something, it becomes more
>> entrenched in an organization. This will serve to counter the PHB
>> attitude that "if it costs nothing to bring in, it will cost
>> nothing to throw out."
>
> We bought Komodo licences for the same reason. ActiveState has been
> a great friend to us, though we've never been introduced; they
> certainly deserve a few bucks. And yes, I'd get our dept. to
> purchase PSF distros as well for the same reason.
>
> Lulu, if you're reading this: if you manage to sell any Gnosis boxed
> sets, would you mind sending me a little share, in thanks for coming
> up with the idea? I need a new canoe myself. ;-)
>
> -- Graham


Speaking of actual value-added products, one thing I'd pay for would
be packaged CDs containing not only the base Python distro, but also
other packages (like pygame, wxPython, Boa Constructor, etc.) -- all
of the *right* version to work with that version of Python. It would
make initially loading a clean machine simpler (especially for those
of us with slow modems) than downloading the many packages
individually and trying to assure version compatibility. The result
would be a useful set of CDs that would be worth hanging onto. Over
time, after many upgrades, it might seem pointless to keep old
versions, until that one package shows up that requires an environment
from three releases back.

I have no idea how the licensing would work on such a thing, but it
would seem worthwhile for the Python community to figure out how to
make it work.

--
rzed