On Fri, Nov 1, 2013 at 5:45 PM, Nick Coghlan <ncogh...@gmail.com> wrote:
> * the key relevant points about users on Windows and Mac OS X are that > most (perhaps only many on Mac OS X) tutorials and introductory courses > will direct them to the binary installers on python.org, and such users > are highly unlikely to have a C compiler installed, so their current "out > of the box" user experience with pip is that it doesn't work for even the > simplest of C extensions. Thank you for being so articulate about that -- I"ve been unsuccesfully trying to say this this whole thread .... Note also that it's not just what tutorials say, it's what the _should_ say. WE really wouldn't want to say to new users: """ Want to learn to program in Python? First, install a compiler, which, by the way is a multi-GB download from Apple, that you have to register as a developer to get..... """ Though I"ll also add that binaries for the python.org builds also support users that may have compiler, but not the expertise to build third-party libs, and build re-distributable binaries for older OS versions, etc. > * by contrast, in other *nix environments (including cygwin on Windows and > homebrew etc on Mac OS X), using the system/environment Python is far more > common, and a C compiler is far more likely to be available > indeed, required, for homebrew and macports (and cygwin?) > * accordingly, the following defaults make sense for pip 1.5: > - allow wheel files from the index server for Windows and Mac OS X > - allow local wheel files everywhere > > sounds good. -- and have a stated policy )or at least recommendation) that binary wheels for OS-X be built for the python.org pythons. * the following options should also be available: > - force use of wheel files from the index server (useful for private index > servers) > - prevent use of wheel files from the index server (useful to force local > builds on Windows and Mac OS X) > - prevent use of wheel files (useful to force a local rebuild, overwriting > the wheel cache) > sounds good. One question: should pip be able to install a incompatible binary wheel directly without even a warning? It does now, but I don't think it should. -Chris -- Christopher Barker, Ph.D. Oceanographer Emergency Response Division NOAA/NOS/OR&R (206) 526-6959 voice 7600 Sand Point Way NE (206) 526-6329 fax Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 526-6317 main reception chris.bar...@noaa.gov
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