[Import-SIG] PEP 420 issue: standard namespace packages

[Eric V. Smith]

On 5/5/2012 9:42 AM, Antoine Pitrou wrote:
> On Sat, 05 May 2012 09:18:13 +0200
> martin at v.loewis.de wrote:
>> I'd like the PEP to rule that the standard library may
>> designate some of its packages as namespace packages,
>> and also specifically declare the encodings package as
>> a namespace package. This would allow to install additional
>> encodings just by mere installation, without the need of
>> having a search function registered at startup.
> 
> What would be the impact on startup time when encodings get imported?
> 
> The PEP 420 algorithm makes performance of namespace packages
> potentially much lower than regular packages (if sys.path is long or
> parts of it reside on a slow filesystem).

I don't see how this issue is related to PEP 420 specifically. All of
the alternatives also involve scanning the path to find parts of the
namespace package.

I'd rather the "parts of the std lib be namespace packages" be a
separate issue, once a namespace package PEP is accepted. Although I
agree the possibility should be mentioned in the PEP.

Eric.