Python Portability--Not very portable?

[geremy condra]

On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 8:28 PM, W. eWatson <wolftracks at invalid.com> wrote:
> On 8/5/2010 7:45 PM, geremy condra wrote:
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 5, 2010 at 6:50 PM, W. eWatson<wolftracks at invalid.com>  wrote:
>>>
>>> In my on-again-off-again experience with Python for 18 months,
>>> portability
>>> seems an issue.
>>>
>>> As an example, my inexperienced Python partner 30 miles away has gotten
>>> out
>>> of step somehow. I think by installing a different version of numpy than
>>> I
>>> use. I gave him a program we both use months ago, and he had no trouble.
>>> (We
>>> both use IDLE on 2.5). I made a one character change to it and sent him
>>> the
>>> new py file. He can't execute it. I doubt he has changed anything in the
>>> intervening period.
>>
>> Portability doesn't mean you can use different versions of your
>> dependencies and be A-OK. It should be fairly obvious that if the
>> behavior of your dependencies changes, your code needs to change to
>> ensure that it demonstrates the same behavior. Portability also
>> doesn't mean that any given one-character change is valid, so that may
>> be your issue as well.
>>
>>> A further example. Months ago I decided to see if I could compile a
>>> program
>>> to avoid such problems as above. I planned to satisfy that need, and see
>>> if
>>> I could distribute some simple programs to non-Python friends. I pretty
>>> well
>>> understand the idea,and got it working with a small program. It seemed
>>> like
>>> a lot of manual labor to do it.
>>
>> What, why were you compiling a program? And why not just use distutils?
>>
>> Geremy Condra
>
> I checked the one char change on my system thoroughly. I looked around on
> some forums and NGs 4 months ago, and found no one even had a simple
> "compiled program" available to even demonstrate some simple example.

That would be because Python is an interpreted language.

> I would think there are some small time and big time Python players who sell
> executable versions of their programs for profit?

Yes. What's your point?

> disutils. Sounds familiar. I'm pretty sure I was using Py2Exe, and disutils
> might have been part of it.

distutils.

http://docs.python.org/library/distutils.html

> So how does one keep a non-Python user in lock step with my setup, so these
> problems don't arise? I don't even want to think about having him uninstall
> and re-install. :-) Although maybe he could do it without making matters
> worse.

That's going to hinge on what your dependencies are.

Geremy Condra