Re: Debian Python Policy [draft]

[Neil Schemenauer <nas@python.ca>]

Carey Evans wrote:
> By way of example, suppose I have a package "spam" that embeds Python
> 2.1, and therefore depends on python-2.1.  spam also uses the "eggs"
> module, and therefore depends on python-eggs, which depends on
> python-2.1 itself.
> 
> Now Python 2.2 is released, and eggs is recompiled for it.  The spam
> maintainer is on holiday, so it doesn't get recompiled for a while.
> If I then install "lumberjack", which depends on python-2.2 and on
> eggs, apt will upgrade python and eggs to satisfy the dependencies,
> and hopefully install "python-2.1" to keep spam happy.
> 
> Still with me?  All the dependencies are satisfied, but spam doesn't
> work any more - the eggs module has disappeared out from under it.

Excellent point.  I've updated the policy document to prevent this.  The
python package should provide python-api-X.Y.  Module packages should
depend on python-api-X.Y.  If someone packages an older version of
Python they should call it python-X.Y.  Packaged modules for that Python
should depend on python-X.Y.  Older versions of Python should never
provide python-api-X.Y.

  Neil