A tool for Python - request for some advice

[TPJ]

<snip>

> So, to make sure I've understood (...) : you want to provide
> a specialized install script for Python (3rd party modules,
> non-standard locations, etc.)

yes

> You started in bash to deal with minority cases without an extant
> Python install.

My motivation was rather to avoid a bootstrap-like problems. I thought
that writing a script in _Python_ for compiling _Python_ is just silly
idea. I thought that bash (available even in rescue distros!) would be
a better tool.

> But clearly, there will be a Python install by the
> time your bash script is done, or something will have gone very wrong.

yes

> That suggests implementing the custom installation work in Python, and
> having a bash script that will

<snip>

Well... not exactly.

My primary goal is to save time spent on downloading, uncompressing,
reading documentation, configuring, compiling and installing software.
So I want to write a tool that would allow me to spent a few minutes to
tell it what to do - and then it would do it all. I would pay attention
to this tool for a few minutes, instead of wasting much more time doing
it all myself.

I could check for a Python installation and install Python in standard
way in case Python wouldn't be available but this would have following
disadvantages:
1) It would be a large waste of time spent on installing Python in
standard way. (Especially if user wouldn't like _standard_ Python
installation. I'm working on this script because in most situations I'm
not happy with such standard installation!)
2) It would lead to download a particular Python's version for a
temporary purpose - and this means additional waste of time and
bandwith.

For now my script works as follows:
1) It allows user to configure all options and actions.
2) When user is ready it just does what it is supposed to do.

The first stage is very important - it takes a few minutes and then all
is done automatically.


Thanks for your advice - it was really helpful.