Re: python dev?

[Joerg Sonnenberger <joerg%britannica.bec.de@localhost>]

On Tue, Dec 12, 2006 at 03:54:33AM +1030, Berndt Josef Wulf wrote:
> The system owner can set the default version of python by setting the 
> PYTHON_VERSION_DEFAULT variable in mk.conf. What is wrong with pkgsrc
> providing a link from <prefix>/bin/python -> <prefix>/bin/python<PYVERSION> 
> as 
> defined by the PYTHON_VERSION_DEFAULT variable?

See pkgtools/pkg_alternative. It is suppose to provide that for
*convience*.

> This will work for the majority of python scripts and packages. This way we 
> only have to deal with packages that require a different version as we do 
> know. Isn't this a much simpler solution then having to modify and keep track 
> of hundreds of python scripts for every single py-* and other packages that 
> use python scripts?

And how do you ensure that the default version or whatever version is
choosen has the proper extension modules installed? How is the system
supposed to complain if they don't exist or are removed? Why do you
believe that the default version coded in the package is actually of
the one a user wants to use by default? Think about binary packages -- I
can and do provide binary packages for all Python versions supported by
a package as long as they have different names. PYTHON_VERSION_DEFAULT
has few meaning when using those packages.

That said, why I said "Kill the authors": GNU radio is a package which
does not use the typical Python infrastructure (e.g. distutils). I would
expect it to scan for the Python binary to use and install consistent
scripts for that. A number of packages already do that and that is the
correct approach. Not assuming that e.g. PATH contains it. That falls
horribly apart e.g. when using a non-interactive shell started from the
RC scripts. I consider such a reliance a bug, same for install/deinstall
scripts.

Joerg