[Python-Dev] PEP 370, open questions

[Tim Golden]

Christian Heimes wrote:
> Tim Golden wrote:
>> The difference therefore is that installing large quantities
>> of Python modules into a roaming profile path will involve
>> their being copied to-and-fro on logon/logoff which, historically
>> at least, was a known cause of slow startup/shutdown. I'll
>> try to confirm if this is still the case.
> 
> I can't comment on the matter. I've not used roaming user profiles on
> Windows for more than five years. Can someone with more experience shed
> some like on the matter?

I'll try to confirm with our support guys here.

>> My own feeling was to use ~/.local on Windows as well
>> (or whatever is agreed on for *nix) and let os.path.expanduser
>> handle it. But... from r54364, USERPROFILE takes priority
>> over HOMEDRIVE/HOMEPATH. Obviously Georg had some rationale
>> there although a quick search of python-dev doesn't throw
>> anything up. If we decide anything else here, though, we
>> would seem to be somewhat in conflict with that interpretation
>> of home/~ as USERPROFILE.
> 
> The PEP already explains why I don't want to write to ~/ on Windows. I
> had considered it shortly but MSDN advices against it.

Entirely understood, but then...

> Is %USERPROFILE% not equal to %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%? 

No. On my machine, for example:

HOMEDRIVE=H:
HOMEPATH=\
HOMESHARE=\\vogbs022\it\goldent

USERPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\goldent

However, using an account without a mapped home
drive then yes, they are the same.

TJG