[Python-Dev] zlib not compiled by default

[Moshe Zadka]

On Fri, 14 Jul 2000, Jeremy Hylton wrote:

> I think it's significantly harder to create a .tar.gz file with a
> configure script and a makefile that builds Python and all the
> third-party libraries it depends on.  Does the zlib source belong in
> the .tar.gz? How about OpenSSL? Tcl/Tk? libc? 

Yes to all popular ones but "libc". 

> There are at least two problems with putting anything other than
> Python in a .tar.gz that we distribute.  First, the user who grabs it
> may already have some of the third-party extensions installed.

And I'm not suggesting to install any third-party extension publicly!
Everything should be installled in Python's tree.

> Second, we have a version-skew nightmare because each library is
> updated at its own pace.

No, we release a known-good version. Users who need more sophistication
can build their own.

> This is why Andrew is still correct!

For well packaged platforms, like, well, Linux and FreeBSD. But on
Solaris, it's much harder to find the readline library in an already
packaged form, and the dependancy mechanism there sucks anyway.

>   AMK> <broken-record>The correct fix is to make it easy to
>   AMK> automatically download & install packages automatically;
>   AMK> distributions then become simple lists.  "You want to do Web
>   AMK> development?  Grab Cookie.py, wizard.py, DocumentTemplate, ..."
>   AMK> "Numeric work?  NumPy, PhysicalValue, Snow,
>   AMK> ..."</broken-record>
> 
> The distutils plus platform-specific package management like RPM and
> Debian packages are the right solution.

For Linux, plus add ports to cover FreeBSD. Anyone using any other UNIX
is SOL right now.

I agree that a "web-oriented sumo distribution", "numeric-oriented sumo
distribution", .... etc. would be cool. If we had infinite resources, I'd
be +10 on that <oo wink>

--
Moshe Zadka <moshez@math.huji.ac.il>
There is no GOD but Python, and HTTP is its prophet.
http://advogato.org/person/moshez