[Python-ideas] More "ensure*" packages

[Terry Reedy]

On 8/13/2015 1:06 PM, Steve Dower wrote:

>  From my point-of-view, this has been very successful in Python 2.7, 3.4
> and will also be successful in 3.5. For Python 3.6, I'd like to do a
> similar thing with:
>
> * requests

The idea, I take it, it to make it easier for people, especially 
beginners to have a more fully-loaded installation when the installer 
quits, without having to find the console and run pip. The requests 
example points to presenting users with a curated list of packages they 
might want to install.

A non-exclusive alternative is to present a list of packages users have 
already installed with other versions.

"You have the following 3rd party modules installed for 3.4.  Which of 
these would you like installed for 3.5?
[x] numpy
[x] pillow
[x] pygame
...
"
This would save people from having to learn about and use a requirements 
list.

For 2 to 3 upgrades, additional work would be required to check whether 
packages have py 3 versions, and if not, whether there are py 3 
replacements. Pillow can be suggested and installed as a plug-compatible 
replacement for PIL.  Most other cases are harder. But any work the 
installer can do to make upgrades easier would be very helpful.

-- 
Terry Jan Reedy