Python 2.4 killing commercial Windows Python development ?

[Roger Binns]

> Here is the situation I see. I use debian linux systems. Installing all the
> dependencies is trivial and if your program has a debian package it would be
> a single command.

Note that there is *nothing* precluding running using the system Python
other than you have to have the dependencies present.  In fact that is how
all the developers run.  The binary/frozen packages are provided as a
convenience to the users who just want to use the program and I don't
see any need for them to jump through hoops.

> The reason I don't like these programs that built the
> runtime, static link in a bunch of stuff etc is that it is a pain to upgrade
> later.

True.  People on both Gentoo and Debian have told me they are making
proper ebuild/dkpg for BitPim.  In both cases nothing came of it
which is why I tell people on those systems to just use the rpm.

As far as I can tell, they failed at two hurdles.  One is that there
is a new BitPim release every two weeks and they can't really keep up
with that.  (eg it takes around two weeks for packages with a lot of
attention on Gentoo to become stable and often is a lot longer)

The second is dealing with the dependencies.  The packager is trying
to do BitPim and finds they have to work with others or need assistance
to deal with the dependencies.  Gentoo is months out of date for wxPython
and I have no idea how far behind Debian is.  Typically other dependencies
aren't even packaged at all, even though they use distutils (ie all it
takes is figuring out how to do 'python setup.py install' in a way that
keeps the packaging system happy).

> If there is a security fix to python 2.4 I know there is ONE copy
> installed on the system and that updating it will fix it. If there is a
> problem with libpng, libjpeg, kdelibs, zope, apache etc the same is still
> true, there is only ONE copy of those items on the system and with a single
> command all of them can be updated and fixed.

True.  Noone forces you to install/run anything.  Right now someone on Debian
who wants to use BitPim has one of these choices:

  - Fix Debian's packaging so that it contains all of the dependencies and
    BitPim itself with the latter being updated every two weeks.  This will
    keep your scenario above on the right track.

  - Bypass Debian's packaging and install the various dependencies manually
    and run from "source"

  - Use alien and the rpm

> Keeping track of security updates, feature updates etc for a bunch of
> computers with a lot of software from different locations is a royal pain in
> the neck.

True.  And the reality is that various Python packages are backwaters/low
priority for the packagers.  All it takes is one missing dependency to
throw a spanner in the works.

And as I told the person who originally wanted to package BitPim for Debian,
I will supply all the help and make changes as necessary.  Someone from the
distros has to step forward to complete it.

Roger