python-gdk-imlib and Delinquent Maintainers
There has been a problem in Debian's python-gdk-imlib package for
quite some time: Transparent PNGs do not display properly (see
attached example script). According to upstream
(http://www.daa.com.au/pipermail/pygtk/2000-September/000336.html),
the proper solution is either to have Python use RTLD_GLOBAL in
dlopen calls when loading extension modules, or to use an older
version of libtool to have imlib link directly to gdk-imlib.
Neither alternative sounds attractive to me, but not having
transparent PNGs in python-gdk-imlib is pretty bad. FWIW, Red Hat
uses the RTLD_GLOBAL solution.
The second part of the subject comes from the fact that the
python-gdk-imlib maintainer doesn't seem to be maintaining his
package very well. There are two very ancient and easy-to-fix
bugs against it. One
(http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=59231&repeatmerged=yes)
is just a few simple typos! Another
(http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=64583&repeatmerged=yes)
is just a simple chmod.
Fixed versions are available at
(http://www.indy.progeny.com/~epg/python-gnome/).
--
Eric Gillespie, Jr. <*> epg@progeny.com
Software Developer
Progeny Linux Systems - http://progeny.com
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