4 ms·

Agree. I don't think the Wheel specification was intended to replace application distribution. It is aimed at the distribution of individual Python libraries.

by groodt 6y ago

enriquto 6y ago
What's the difference between "applications" and "libraries"? Why can't they be distributed in the same way?
- oefrha 6y ago
  Libraries are self-contained and can unpack into any prefix. Applications tend to have config files, service description files, documentation, etc. scattered all over the system at specific locations in order to comply with host system conventions and inter-operate with supervisors and other applications. Wheel is an unpack-into-any-prefix (and stays in that prefix) binary distribution format.
- pansa2 6y ago
  Python libraries are distributed to other Python developers. Applications are distributed to end-users, who may not even know what Python is, let alone details of any Python installation on their machine.
- BiteCode_dev 6y ago
  Applications are for the end user. The end user don't need the source code, don't want to compile anything, don't want to bother about installing Python or even knowing it's written in Python, wants it work with his system of choice (app store, package manager, simple exe...), wants OS integration (entry in menus, icons, etc.) and want it fast. Libs are for the dev: you want the source code, you want to manage versions, you want it to integrate with your dev env, you want a well delimited scope, a way to install it using your usual setup (pip/poetry/etc) and to isolate it from project to project.
  - enriquto 6y ago
    As a "dev" who develops mostly for other "devs" this distinction is not so clear to me.
    - BiteCode_dev 6y ago
      Do you provide your lib as a dmg for mac users or through the windows app store ? Do you provide a entry in the start menu for it ? An icon on the desktop ?
      - enriquto 6y ago
        Lol no I just send them an email with the url of a private git repo containing my code/experiments, and let them sort it out XD The pleasures of academia.

Agree. I don't think the Wheel specification was intended to replace application distribution. It is aimed at the distribution of individual Python libraries.

by groodt 6y ago

Agree. I don't think the Wheel specification was intended to replace application distribution. It is aimed at the distribution of individual Python libraries.

enriquto 6y ago

What's the difference between "applications" and "libraries"? Why can't they be distributed in the same way?

oefrha 6y ago
Libraries are self-contained and can unpack into any prefix. Applications tend to have config files, service description files, documentation, etc. scattered all over the system at specific locations in order to comply with host system conventions and inter-operate with supervisors and other applications. Wheel is an unpack-into-any-prefix (and stays in that prefix) binary distribution format.
pansa2 6y ago
Python libraries are distributed to other Python developers. Applications are distributed to end-users, who may not even know what Python is, let alone details of any Python installation on their machine.
BiteCode_dev 6y ago
Applications are for the end user. The end user don't need the source code, don't want to compile anything, don't want to bother about installing Python or even knowing it's written in Python, wants it work with his system of choice (app store, package manager, simple exe...), wants OS integration (entry in menus, icons, etc.) and want it fast. Libs are for the dev: you want the source code, you want to manage versions, you want it to integrate with your dev env, you want a well delimited scope, a way to install it using your usual setup (pip/poetry/etc) and to isolate it from project to project.
- enriquto 6y ago
  As a "dev" who develops mostly for other "devs" this distinction is not so clear to me.
  - BiteCode_dev 6y ago
    Do you provide your lib as a dmg for mac users or through the windows app store ? Do you provide a entry in the start menu for it ? An icon on the desktop ?
    - enriquto 6y ago
      Lol no I just send them an email with the url of a private git repo containing my code/experiments, and let them sort it out XD The pleasures of academia.