Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 12:32:30 +0100
From: u-3qpt@aetey.se
To: Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org>
Cc: Drew DeVault <sir@cmpwn.com>, alpine-devel@lists.alpinelinux.org
Subject: Re: [alpine-devel] Normalizing Python packages in aports
Message-ID: <20190319113230.GM23721@example.net>
References: <20190306212501.GD2800@cirno.localdomain>
 <20190314112413.29dd9816@ncopa-desktop.copa.dup.pw>
 <20190314191241.GF1544@homura.localdomain>
 <20190319103153.3964ded5@ncopa-desktop.copa.dup.pw>
Precedence: list
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <20190319103153.3964ded5@ncopa-desktop.copa.dup.pw>

On Tue, Mar 19, 2019 at 10:31:53AM +0100, Natanael Copa wrote:
> Earler, before python3 was supported, all the py-* packages was
> python2. We should probably also look over all py-* packages and make
> sure that all python2 packages are renamed to py2-*.

2c from a lurker.

A large part of this thread looks dedicated to surviving a mess created
by the reuse of the same name "python" (also "py-" as a prefix or similar)
for different and incompatible softwares.

The problems would hardly exist if python2 and python3 worlds
were separated from the beginning.

That's why I would like to emphasize the need to always use strictly
specified references for the purposes of packaging.

In other words:

Do not use "default" names which change their meaning with time and
then their usage must be traced and adjusted everywhere (!)

>From this point of view, it is important to (also) name all python3
packages as py3-*.

This is not the same as handling the preferences of the _users_. They
can get a convenience link of "python" to something they like - but then
per-user, not in the common part of $PATH. This is not hard.

(It _is_ hard to prevent the misuse of "default" "python" if it is present
at hand, with its unpredictable semantics. No "python" should be there
in a common location like /usr/{,local/}bin unless a local administrator
adds a link there to some pythonN or whatnot and takes himself all the
consequences. "python2" and/or "python3" should be there today, possibly
"python3" and "python4" tomorrow, but not some "python"-of-the-day.)

Please do not perpetuate the others' badly chosen practices - they can
not be made consistent other than only temporary and only with a large
effort each time, if at all.

Rune



---
Unsubscribe:  alpine-devel+unsubscribe@lists.alpinelinux.org
Help:         alpine-devel+help@lists.alpinelinux.org
---