1) The Python StrictVersion and LooseVersion classes in Setuptools used to validate and compare versions are incompatible with RPM's lexicographical order. Even the setuptools metadata documentation, which is in full force and implemented, says alpha and beta and rc are expressly permitted (and ENCOURAGED) in the version name, and setuptools' dependency resolution actually uses that information. It is clear that the only solution that unbreaks bdist_rpm is version rewriting of prerelease packages.
2) We already know this "fedora-specific" blahblah is false. My patches work fine in other distros and can be disabled easily.
This guy can't tell his ass from his head, and he has the audacity to come here with this ignorant chicanery, trying to convince us that the world is flat that the PEPs and the deployed setuptools code do not work the way they are implemented, that "training" is the solution (see above for technical reasons why "training" is not only draining the ocean but technically impossible) and that we're committing a crime against nature by including these patches.
I strongly urge those of you with the knowledge and the power, to do the right thing, and ignore this charlatan.
El Viernes 13 Marzo 2009, Gerry Reno escribió:
Manuel, 'bdist_rpm' is NOT broken. What is broken is packagers misuse of the 'version' and 'release' strings. They do stupid things like put version='3.0' and release='rc1' and then wonder why their final release cannot update the release candidate. THIS IS A TRAINING ISSUE. Their poorly planned sequence of release designations is not in lexical order. They should be putting version='3.0' and release='0.rc1' or '0_rc1' and then their final release of version='3.0' and release='1' WILL update their release candidate. AGAIN, this is not something that is broken with 'bdist_rpm' IT IS A TRAINING ISSUE. Packagers need to understand the importance of lexical ordering when using RPM. You cannot make a patch that outlaws stupidity.
I vote a big -1 on this patch because it interjects Fedora-specific modifications into bdist_rpm.
Regards, Gerry