[Python-Dev] Conflicts [was Re: Keyword meanings [was: Accept just PEP-0426]] (original) (raw)

Steven D'Aprano steve at pearwood.info
Sun Dec 9 02:15:34 CET 2012

On 09/12/12 08:14, MRAB wrote:

If package A says that it conflicts with package B, it may or may not be symmetrical, because it's possible that package B has been updated since the author of package A discovered the conflict, so it's important that the user is told which package is complaining about the conflict, the one that is being installed or the one that is already installed.

I must admit than in reading this thread, I'm having a bit of trouble understanding why merely installing packages should lead to conflicts.

Assuming that two software packages Spam and Ham install into directories Spam and Ham, how can merely having them installed side-by-side lead to a conflict?

I can see how running or importing Spam and Ham together might lead to problems. And I can see that if package Spam wants to install into directory Ham, that would be bad. But who does that?

Have I just demonstrated my naivety when it comes to packaging?

Under what circumstances would two well-behaved packages with different names conflict?

-- Steven

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