I just noticed that the part recommending distribute_setup.py is removed from 
the guide:

  http://bitbucket.org/tarek/hitchhiker-guide-packaging/changeset/1aab7be7c4be/

It originally read as:

"""
Packages built and distributed using ``setuptools`` (provided by 
:ref:`distribute_info`) look to the user like ordinary Python packages based on 
the :mod:`distutils` module. Your users don’t need to install or even know 
about ``setuptools`` in order to use them,  and you don’t have to include the 
entire ``setuptools`` package in your distributions. By including the 
`distribute_setup.py <http://python-distribute.org/distribute_setup.py>`_,  
which is a single bootstrap module (an 8K .py file),  your package will 
automatically download and install ``setuptools`` if the user is building your 
package from source and doesn't have a suitable version already installed
"""

This gives me further confidence about the below-stated intent behind using 
distribute_setup.use_setuptools. But the question is: should it replace 
setuptools with Distribute? I'd say not. There should at least be an option (as 
suggested below) to accept setuptools if it is found, and install distribute 
only if neither setuptools nor distribute is already installed.

-srid

On 2010-03-15, at 11:18 AM, Sridhar Ratnakumar wrote:

> Tarek,
> 
> For some background on this, see 
> http://bitbucket.org/srid/modern-package-template/issue/9/distribute_setup-should-not-be-used#comment-139503
> 
> The intent behind calling distribute_setup.use_setuptools (and 
> ez_setup.use_setuptools) is that if the user does not have setuptools 
> installed,  running "python setup.py install" will automatically install it 
> for him. 
> 
> But if the user already has setuptools, running 
> distribute_setup.use_setuptools upgrades that installation to Distribute. 
> This goes against the original intention, correct?
> 
> Is it reasonable to provide an option to `use_setuptools` that would decide 
> if Distribute must replace the existing setuptools or not?
> 
> -srid
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Distutils-SIG maillist  -  [email protected]
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/distutils-sig

_______________________________________________
Distutils-SIG maillist  -  [email protected]
http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/distutils-sig

Reply via email to