[Python-Dev] Re: [Distutils] Questions about distutils strategy

[Guido van Rossum]

> [Guido] 
> > You shouldn't see site-python or site-packages, they only exist
> > on Unix.  

[Gordon]
> You mean "they only exist _for_ Unix", (site.py looks for them 
> on Windows).

No it doesn't.  The code in site.py only adds site-packages and
site-python when os.sep is '/'.  RTSL.

> I don't like that. For one thing, modulo a few 
> platform differences, the same mechanism should work for 
> multi-user Unix and Windows LAN installations. And single-
> user Windows (I know, redundant, even on NT) should be a 
> degenerate case of the above.

What do you mean by "the same mechanism should work"?  The same
mechanism for what?  Are you talking about sharing the installed
files somehow?

> > On Windows, everything is installed in the top Python
> > directory.  However you should see .pth files there, which is
> > what site.py looks for.  I believe NumPy and PIL use those.
> 
> No NumPy, no PIL, no .pth files. 99% of everything out there 
> just says "unzip this somewhere on your Python path".

Fair enough.  Of course I know about .pth files so I unzipped them
elsewhere and added a .pth file pointing there...

> In this case, Jim Ahlstrom may be right - there are too many 
> options, or at least an insufficiently emphasized "proper" 
> method. Until I worked out my own way of installing stuff, I 
> used to lose a large number of packages whenever I upgraded 
> my Windows Python.

The .pth files are designed for this.  Maybe they haven't been
explained as well as they should.

> Much as I love Mark's stuff (and hesitate to criticize crazy 
> Aussies), I wish there weren't so much special casing here for 
> Windows.

It's not Mark's fault, it's Microsoft's fault.  If you don't do things
the way MS wants you to, experienced Windows users will gripe,
misunderstand what you do, etc.

> And no, I don't have any solutions to this, I'm just griping...

Ditto.  Understanding the problems is half of the solution though.
The problems seem pretty complex!

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)