Re: [gentoo-python] Re: [PATCH eselect-python 1/2] Store per-version interpreter preference in a file as well.

[Michał Górny]

On Thu, 1 Nov 2012 14:48:55 -0400
Mike Gilbert <floppym@g.o> wrote:

> On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 11:44 AM, Mike Gilbert <floppymaster@×××××.com> wrote:
> > On Thu, Nov 1, 2012 at 7:54 AM, Michał Górny <mgorny@g.o> wrote:
> >> The idea is very simple: /etc/env.d/python/python[23] with a one-line
> >> value similar to the main interpreter /config file.
> >>
> >> That should be simpler & more reliable than reading a symlink. And at
> >> some point we can replace the symlink with an $EPYTHON-aware wrapper
> >> as well.
> >
> > I don't understand the point of this. Do we have some need to enable
> > EPYTHON usages for scripts that have a python2 or python3 shebang?

I'm mostly thinking of a future potential. Or maybe just I dislike that
partially we're using wrappers, and partially symlinks.

> > I also don't understand how a text file is more reliable than a
> > symlink; they are basically the same thing, but the symlink has a
> > different file mode.

They have a different goal, I believe. The goal of a symlink is to tie
one path onto another; the goal of a file is to store data. I'd say
that symlink is valid as long as it points to the correct path, one way
or the other.

But well, it's more like 'we are keeping python in one place, but
python2/3 in another'. python-exec would also become simpler if one
function would be needed to get both kinds of implementations rather
than two different approaches.

Last but probably least, POSIX doesn't list 'readlink' utility. Not
sure how various Prefixes (interix?) handle that but I really dislike
the idea of storing data in symlinks.

-- 
Best regards,
Michał Górny