[Python-Dev] Distutils ML wrap-up: setup.cfg new format (original) (raw)

Stephen J. Turnbull stephen at xemacs.org
Wed Sep 23 09:03:45 CEST 2009

Brett Cannon writes:

OK, stop before it gets any nastier as your email already sounds rude

Rude, yes, but not entirely lacking in truth. Tarek's post to Python- Dev is a mess from the point of view of English and organization -- it's way below Tarek's normal command of the language. Granted, something that complex is much harder to polish than a 3-sentence post, but it could have been run by a native speaker before posting. Better yet, it could have been run by Distutils-SIG first.

At the very least, that would have kept this discussion on Distutils- SIG, and Chris couldn't be accused of trying to make an end run around that process. I suggest that posting progress reports to Python-Dev is a good idea (attracting attention and maybe participation to the process), but making one an opportunity to test the degree of internal consensus (or lack of it) on Distutils-SIG by posting there first is an even better one.

I see no reason why [Tarek] should not be able to short-circuit discussions when he sees them as having gone on long enough when he is the one that is going to ultimately end up doing all the coding.

Of course there are benefits to having a strong impartial chairman, and installing a benevolent dictator is often a second-best strategy for project management. However, in this case, the question of what is being short-circuited is important. If it's bikeshedding, that's good. If it's a substantial difference, it's not. And it matters, because the benefits of a New! Improved! distutils! really start piling up when adoption becomes nearly universal.

How do you tell the difference? Simple. If Philip wants the bikeshed painted pink, but he'll still move his bike to Tarek's blue bikeshed from the existing pink one, further discussion at this point is bikeshedding. If Chris wants the new bikeshed painted chartreuse, and he'll keep parking in the existing green one if Tarek paints the new one blue, that's a real difference. (This assumes Chris represents a sizable group of users/projects, of course.)

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