[Python-Dev] Capsule Summary of Some Packaging/Deployment Technology Concerns

Wed Mar 19 09:57:21 CET 2008

Phillip J. Eby wrote:
>> I'm actually happy to hear that there's this much energy available -- 
> hopefully some of it can be harnessed towards positive solutions.
>> When I began developing setuptools, I often asked for the input of 
> packagers, developers, etc., through the distutils-sig... and was met 
> with overwhelming silence. So the fact that there is now a group of 
> people who are ready to work for some solutions seems like a positive 
> change, to me.

I can appreciate how frustrating silence is when you call for input. Let's 
see if we can keep the volunteer energy going this time around.
> It's hard to make design decisions regarding itches you don't personally 
> have, and which other people won't help scratch. Unfortunately, a lot 
> of the proposals from packaging system people have been of the form of, 
> "fix this for us by breaking things for other people". Not all of them, 
> though. Many have been very helpful, contributing troubleshooting help 
> and good patches.
>> That some of those good patches took nearly a year to get into 
> setuptools (some from Fedora just got into 0.6c8 that were sent to me 
> almost a year ago) is because I'm the only person reviewing setuptools 
> patches, and I've spent only a few days in the last year doing focused 
> development work on setuptools (as opposed to answering questions about 
> it on the SIG).
>> It's never a good thing when people's patches sit around, regardless of 
> where they come from. But that's not the same thing as *rejecting* the 
> patches.

I and others appreciate your call for more patches on various topics. However 
a long delay in applying them will discourage contribution. Are you open to 
giving certain others patch view/commit privileges to setuptools? I'd be 
willing to help out, and keep a carefully balanced hand in what is accepted.
-Jeff