One thought has recently occurred to me: a framework for a
Python Local Guide. You see, I've installed a fair number of other
modules from various places: Lance's MetalBase module (for which I'm
now writing documentation), my crypto stuff, etc. I suspect most
people do this, since Python extensions are so darned useful.
However, none of this stuff is documented in the Library Reference,
nor should it be. I'd like to propose a subdirectory called "Local/".
In this directory, there would be a skeleton LaTeX framework and a
Python script that combines the framework and any *.tex files in
Local/ to produce a guide to other, site-specific extensions.
Thus, when installing a new extension module, all you have to
do is place a libgumby.tex file in Local/ and regenerate the local
guide. This saves you from having to alter Doc/lib.tex and add more
stuff to the Doc directory, making it easier to upgrade to a new
version of Python. All you'd have to keep is the Local/ directory.
Actually, maybe we should have Local/Modules, too, instead of
putting new modules in Modules/. Or maybe this should be all be
placed in the Extensions directory (though it seems extensions are
larger and more elaborate than just a single extra module.)
Andrew Kuchling
fnord@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca
andrewk@dexotek.ca (http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~fnord)