[Pythonmac-SIG] Package Manager idea, adding a URL scheme

[Jack Jansen]

On 3-okt-03, at 18:47, Just van Rossum wrote:
>>> I don't follow: if you're building/installing package X yourself,
>>> why would you then want to use PackMan for package X also? I see it
>>> pretty much as an either/or situation.
>>
>> Not for package X but for dependent packages! Think of the following
>> scenario: you maintain package X, that is also in PackMan. Package Y
>> depends on package X but you don't maintain it. With a know-it-all
>> package manager you cannot install Y to use your X.
>
> I don't see why not: the dependencies don't need to be "hard".
>
>> There are now three options open to you:
>> - trick the package manager to think that it installed X
>> - install every package depending on X by hand
>> - install two copies of X, one for your development and one
>>    through the package manager for use by dependent packages.
>
> - Install package Y, getting a dialog that goes something like this:
>
>     Package Y depends on X version a.b.c. You've installed an
>     unknown version of Y. What would you like to do?
>
>     [Cancel] [Install X and Y a.b.c] [Install X]

Good point (except that you say "unknown version of Y" where you mean 
X:-).

This, in combination with a standardised way to get version information
a la AMK's PEP would do the trick for most cases.

I'd still like the option of executable code, but then it would be the
exception, so we could do something similar to what Apple's Installer 
does
on Panther: if the package wants to execute code *before* you've said 
"yes"
to install it it pops up a warning dialog saying "This installer wants 
to
run code on your machine to do some pre-install tests. Is that okay 
with you?".
--
Jack Jansen, <Jack.Jansen at cwi.nl>, http://www.cwi.nl/~jack
If I can't dance I don't want to be part of your revolution -- Emma 
Goldman