[Pythonmac-SIG] Development Matrix (or "sometimes there's just too many choices...")

[W.T. Bridgman]

I've explored what's on the Mac sites and (casually) follow this group 
traffic and now find myself wondering just what combinations of python 
(MacPython, Unix Python), window environments (X11, Aqua, and now Apple 
X11) and GUIs (Tkinter, wxPython) play well together (twelve possible 
combinations?  which are not viable?).  Then there's the installation 
options - standard Unix (/usr/local/), Framework, and Fink bringing the 
count up to 36.  I assume that the merging of MacPython and Unix Python 
(still on for v2.3?) will drop this count by half.

How many of these installations build 'out-of-the-box', using the 
instructions in the available README or INSTALL file?  My main 
experience is with Python 2.2 where I've installed Unix (Macho?) Python 
as a framework.  I've been unsuccessful installing any Aqua GUI.

There's the additional packages I actively use (Numeric, PyXML, PIL, 
HTMLgen, ReportLab) and packages I'd like to use but have never had 
even partial success at installing (PyOpenGL, numarray - does it 
conflict with Numeric?, pyFITS, VPython, VTK, MayaVi) not to mention 
some of the support libraries for /usr/local/lib/ such as libjpeg, etc.

Are there limitations to which combinations of these components play 
well together?  Should we consider mapping this 'space'?  For example, 
maybe we'd want to build a listing with notes of what combinations have 
been successfully built and used?  Consider something like:

Here's some notes based on my newest builds with MacOS 10.2.+ from my 
configuration journal.

* Unix Python v2.2: Framework install per instructions

* Aqua Tkinter: per Tony's notes.  Result was IDLE window fired up but 
nothing else

* wxPythonOSX 2.3.3.1: built but hangs on demos & samples

* Numeric 22.0: per instructions

* PyXML 0.8: minor patch needed in setup.py, then builds per 
instructions.

* PIL: couldn't get libjpeg to build, but rest of package built fine 
without it.

* HTMLgen: installs, but all over the site-packages/ level.  Need to 
make this cleaner.

* ReportLab 1.10: drop-in with a reportlab.pth file in site-packages/.

Additional packages are on my "To Do" list.  I recognize I might be a 
few revs behind, usually because I'm trying to use the installation for 
my development work rather than trying to keep up with all the updates. 
:^)

Anyone have any thoughts on how we could keep better track of some of 
these issues?

Comments, suggestions, etc. welcome,
Tom