[Distutils] extensions in packages

[Mark Hammond]

FWIW, I _do_ use DLLs in packages, and it causes me no end of grief.  I
need to have special runtime hacks that works with __path__, I need a
special __init__ in the package where the DLL is to "appear", and also need
even further special casing for Freeze!

So although I can see the problems with the mechanisms, IMO it is very
important that packages be capable of treating DLLs as first-class
citizens.

Personally, I would not have a "compatibility" problem as such, but I would
need to remove or update my hacks - but I find that reasonable.

Mark.

> >Backwards compatible with what? Currently builtin modules can't be
> >in packages at all, so nothing's lost.
>
> But DLLs *can* be (that's the whole point, no?). If the rules
> for the init
> func changes, I think at least Marc-Andre L. won't be too
> happy: all (?) of
> his extensions use DLLs as submodules, so he would need to
> add switches to
> remain compatible with 1.5.2. I'm sure he's not the only one.