RFC: python-base, debconf and py/pyc files

[Gregor Hoffleit <gregor@mediasupervision.de>]

Hi,

currently, our Python packages mostly ship .py files and compile them into
.pyc files at run time in order to save space in the debs.

There's no reason, though, to keep the .py files on machines that only
deploy software[1]

I wonder if I should debconf-ify python-base and add an debconf option that
sets a system-wide policy about how to deal with .py/.pyc files. That could
be one of:

  * install both .py and .pyc files
  * install only .pyc files
  * install only .py files

The postinst scripts of the various python packages would then enforce this
policy according to the global debconf option. Packages could also provide
private debconf options to override this.

Any comments ?

    Gregor


[1] The iPAC Python packages contain a completely stripped-down version of
the Python packages.