nxt_python API change - rename vs break?

[Martin Langhoff]

Hello list,

Fedora currently ships nxt_python 0.7 (packaged by John McLean) -- a
library to generate Lego NXT bytecode from python.

The upstream library has moved forward under a new lead developer
(Marcus Wanner, cc'd). The current code - nxt 2.0.1 - uses the same
name, but breaks API.

Upstream is unlikely to rename the lib to nxt2 (at least within this
release series, hopefully the next API break brings a name change :-)
).

What is the recommended path of action? The options I can see are

 - Package it as nxt2_python - patching the src where needed. Allows
parallel installation, but breaks upstream documentation and
expectations of users that have been using the lib from src or egg.
Maybe Marcus can add "when under Fedora, use "import nxt2 as nxt".

 - Work with John to upgrade nxt_python from 0.7 to 2.0.1, break with
the past. Unclear whether it is widely used (do we have anything like
popcon?)

The Python packaging wikipage doesn't seem to cover this case -- are
there any good past experiences with hold any strong recommendation.

Background: there is an fantastic integration of nxt_python 2.0.1 with
TurtleArt -- controlling these robots from XO laptops (or Sugar
desktop, or any Fedora desktop) with TurtleArt is a lot of fun. Trying
to tidy up and package all the components so that it's part of our
builds.

cheers,


m
--
 martin at laptop.org -- Software Architect - OLPC
 - ask interesting questions
 - don't get distracted with shiny stuff  - working code first
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