Re: The Python Registrar

[Jim Penny <jpenny@debian.org>]

> 
> On Fri, Feb 22, 2002 at 07:03:59PM -0500, Jim Penny wrote:
> > On Sat, Feb 23, 2002 at 10:38:17AM +1100, Donovan Baarda wrote:
> > > On Tue, Feb 12, 2002 at 12:05:22AM +0100, Bastian Kleineidam wrote:
> [...]
> > > Did you see my analysis and modified "register-python-package" script? I
> > > posted it under a misleading subject by mistake (responded to another thread
> > > that migrated onto it).
> > 
> 
> IMHO python programs are much easier. 

OK, I will agree with that.

> The python-central approach attempts to provide a single package that
> supports multiple versions of python.
> 
> > Education of end-users and even packagers is important.  It cannot be
> > overemphasized to all involved that this works only for pure python
> > modules (and maybe pure python programs).  It does not, can not, and
> > probably will never work for python "C-extension" modules.
> 
> Yeah, but the policy already acknoleges and supports that, and quite well.
> 
> > This does worry me a bit.  It requires end-users to know the difference.
> > How do we educate them?  
> 
> End users don't have to know the difference, provided packagers get it
> right. The dependancies will handle it all for them.
> 

Ah, but they do.  Some packages install automatically, even in places
that they are not necessarily wanted ("pure python modules").  Some
never install automatically, even in places where they are wanted
("C-extension modules"). [Although C-extension modules should be
automatically upgraded when the default python changes.]  This is really
quite different behavior and requires whoever has root to know and make
the distinction.

Restated, if you think of these packages only as "python modules", it may
violate the principle of least surprise that sometimes you install a
package and forget about it, and other times you install a package and
have to reinstall each time an additional python is introduced to the
system you administer.

Jim Penny