Python in Linux - barrier to Python 3.x

[Diez B. Roggisch]

Ned Deily <nad at acm.org> writes:

> In article <87zkvbytnk.fsf at web.de>, deets at web.de (Diez B. Roggisch) 
> wrote:
>> The point is that the distro doesn't care about the python eco
>> system. Which is what I care about, and a lot of people who want to ship
>> software.
>
> I don't think that is totally accurate or fair.  There is regular 
> participation in the python-dev group by packagers from various distros.  
> For example, Matthias Klose is not only the primary Debian Python 
> maintainer, he is also has commit privileges for Python itself and he 
> regularly contributes patches.  Currently, I see current Python 2.6.6 
> and 3.1.2 packages in Debian testing with current Python 2.7 and Python 
> 3.2 alpha coming along in Debian experimental.

I'm sorry, this was worded stronger than appropriate. Let me rephrase:
The distros have their own (perfectly reasonable) agenda. Yet this may
still conflict with the needs of users regarding e.g. contemporary
package availability. I already mentioned in another post that the
current debian stable features TurboGears 1.0.4. Which is by itself a
problem, but also ties a lot of dependencies to "ancient" versions. So
frankly, if I want to run (which in fact I do) a perfecly fine
TurboGears2 system on lenny, I'm *forced* to use virtualenv and
consorts.

In other words: I think that the goals of a linux distribution don't
necessarily are the same than those of a python package maintainer. In
an ideal world, they would be congruent. But they aren't. My wish would
be that unless that this congruency is achieved (which isn't feasible I fear), a
python-only package management solution can be implemented and be
adopted even by the distros without neglecting their own issues. 


Diez