[python-committers] Providing .tgz sources

[Georg Brandl]

Am 05.12.2010 19:16, schrieb M.-A. Lemburg:
> Georg Brandl wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> I wonder if it's still necessary to provide .tar.bz2 and .tgz source
>> tarballs.  If anything, it would be nice to provide .tar.xz in addition
>> to .tar.bz2, which has a nicer compression ratio:
>> 
>> .tgz     - 13 MB
>> .tar.bz2 - 11 MB
>> .tar.xz  - 8.6 MB
> 
> I've never heard of the .xz format before, but if it provides better
> compression, then why not add it to the available options.

Yes, I think it's best to just add it for now.  I may do that for future
3.2 releases.

> I'd also suggest a .zip file source format as alternative to the above.
> This is more common on Windows platforms.
> 
> BTW: The download page says:
> """
>     * Python 3.1.3 compressed source tarball (for Linux, Unix or OS X)
>     * Python 3.1.3 bzipped source tarball (for Linux, Unix or OS X, more compressed)
> """
> This sounds like the source tarball is not the right source distribution
> for Windows platforms.

Basically, it is good for all platforms, but most line-endings will be Unix
line-endings in these files.  Providing a .zip file with Windows line
endings needs one more export/archive step from the source repo.

> And then there's a general issue with the user experience for first-time
> users of Python: there's a quick install guide missing on the download
> page.

Not sure that is needed: those who download the installers will know what
to do with them, and those who download the source should also know
(otherwise README has a quick build and install section.)

Georg