Thoughts on some stdlib modules

[Robert Kern]

Fredrik Lundh wrote:

> I'm not talking about things that absolutely have to be in the Python
> interpreter core; I'm talking about things that *could* be bundled
> with the standard distribution, *without* having to be relicensed,
> or be forever maintained by the CPython developers.
> 
> (the Linux distributors know how to do this: look for good stuff that's
> either actively maintained or simple and solid enough to live for a while,
> make sure the licenses are good enough, bundle the latest and greatest
> version, ship tested versions at regular intervals, update when necessary,
> and pass bugs and patches upstream.  why not use the same approach
> for Python's standard distribution?)

The reason they don't is because making a distribution like this is a 
royal pain in the ass. It makes no sense to make the Python standard 
distribution like this. Only insane people do this. I'm one of them.

"Updating when necessary" is problematic and really requires proper 
package management. Python is not an OS and cannot control all of the 
little factors that make package management feasible for OS 
distributions to do.

What's more, once you *do* have proper package management on the 
platforms that you care about, it doesn't matter what is or isn't in the 
standard distribution. Hopefully, one of the CPyAN dreams will actually 
pan out.

-- 
Robert Kern
rkern at ucsd.edu

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
  Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
   -- Richard Harter