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From: Oliver Andrich <olli@rhein-zeitung.de>
Subject: NEW Release of Linux Python RPMS [package version 1.5.1-10]
Date: Wed, 06 May 1998 03:21:21 EDT
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Hi,
because of a bug in the libc, which has been getting on my nerves during the
last days, and which has been fixed finally after some trabing usw. sessions,
I have to announce a new release again.
IMPORTANT!!! Everyone using Python on Linux systems should update to this
version, cause they will encounter some "interesting" behaviour when mixing
readline and read calls on non seekable file objects, i.e. sockets, pipes,
etc.
Important Changes:
- fixed the important ftell bug
- most recent patches have been applied as usual
- added pythonlib and newt packages, that fix some problems with RedHat tools
and Python 1.5.1
Best regards,
Oliver Andrich
==
Oliver Andrich, Rhein-Zeitung/RZ-Online, Schlossstrasse 42, D-56068 Koblenz
eMail: olli@rhein-zeitung.de MIME/PGP welcome, http://rhein-zeitung.de/~olli
PGPKey: request the following URL
http://www.grass.org:11371/pks/lookup?op=index&search=olli@rhein-zeitung.de
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Oli's Python 1.5.1 Distribution for RedHat 5.0 systems
======================================================
(only intel based systems at the moment)
Python Package Version: 1.5.1-10
The only person to blame for this work is me, Oliver Andrich <olli@rhein-zeitung.de>.
If any of this doesn't work, contact me first and we will see if it is a
problem of the package or the tool itself.
0. Introdution
1. The Files
2. Installation
3. Changelog
4. Todo
5. Credits
0. Introduction
===============
What is Python
--------------
Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented programming language.
It is often compared to Tcl, Perl, Scheme or Java.
Python combines remarkable power with very clear syntax. It has modules,
classes, exceptions, very high level dynamic data types,
and dynamic typing. There are interfaces to many system calls and libraries,
as well as to various windowing systems (X11, Motif, Tk,
Mac, MFC). New built-in modules are easily written in
in C or C++. Python is also usable as an extension language for applications
that need a programmable interface.
The Python implementation is portable: it runs on many
brands of UNIX, on Windows, DOS, OS/2, Mac, Amiga... If your favorite
system isn't listed here, it may still be supported,
if there's a C compiler for it. Ask around on comp.lang.python -- or just try
compiling Python yourself.
Webpage: http://www.python.org
What is Linux
-------------
I hope that I don't have to describe this, cause everybody knows what Linux
is. Hopefully. ;-))
Webpage: http://www.linux.org/
What are RPMS and why is this so special
----------------------------------------
RPMS are the packages that are used by the Linux distributions RedHat and
SuSE at least, to manage the various software packages on a Linux system. A
RPM is basically a binary distribution of some kind of software similar to
the binary distributions released as tarballs, but with a lot of extra
information and knowledge put into the package. A RPM checks if everything
is installed that it depends on, it checks if something is broken by the
installation on the systems. A RPM always knows which files belong to it,
and the RPM tool manages a database of all installed packages, so that you
can easily upgrade, deinstall and do whatever you want with a RPM package.
This is what can be said in brief about RPM packages, that are binary
versions, namely files with the extension .i386.rpm
The other files .src.rpm are so called SRPMS, that are the files from which
the RPMS are created. Of course you use the rpm tool as well for this. In a
file called spec file, you describe what has to be done in order to compile
the package. Patching, untaring the sources, copying files, calling
configure and everything else.
That has to be enough for know, everything else can be found the RPM
webpage.
Webpage: http://www.rpm.org
1. The Files
============
README
this file
The official Python files
-------------------------
(that means created from the official source distribution)
python-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
This is the basic python package that contains everything that doesn't need
any external library except the libc and the libraries that are included in
the glibc packages of RedHat linux.
This package is all you need to do basic system scripting and cgi
programming and so on.
python-curses-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
The python interface to the curses terminal library. This packages requires
the ncurses package.
python-devel-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
All you need if you want to compile your own extension modules or develope
your own extension module and so on. This is also required if you want build
a custom interpreter.
python-doc-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
This package includes the postscript and html documentation of Python 1.5.1
and the subdirectories Demo, Misc and Tools of the Python source
distribution. May be I should move them to a seperate package misc, demo or
so. But this has to be discussed.
For all of the extension hackers and people who want to compile extension
modules themselves. The official Makefile.pre.in can be found in this
package.
python-gdbm-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
The python interface to GNU dbm library. This package requires the gdbm
package. This package was removed from the main package, cause GNU dbm isn't
a required package on RedHat 5 system while bsd db library is an internal
part of the glibc package.
python-_tkinter-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
This package contains the lowlevel interface of Python to Tcl/Tk. I have
removed this from the tkinter packages, cause this has to replaced if you
want Tkinter with PIL support.
python-tkinter-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
This is the highlevel interface to Tcl/Tk of Python. This packages requires
one of the _tkinter packages.
python-zlib-1.5.1-10.i386.rpm
This is the Python interface to the zlib, the gzip compression library. This
package requires zlib >= 1.0.4.
The Addons
----------
(Packages of important extension modules that are of public interest. THis
section will be expanded.)
python-gd-1.2-3.i386.rpm
A python interface to the gd library, which is a library with which you can
easily draw GIFs on the fly or modify them. Nice for a lot of web
applications.
python-imaging-0.3a3-9.i386.rpm
The Python Image Library. This adds image processing capabilities to
Python. This is not the most recent version, but I haven't found this yet on
the web.
python-imaging-_tkinter-0.3a3-9.i386.rpm
A replacement for python-_tkinter that adds the PIL Tk support to
Tkinter. Look at the doku included in the basic PIL package.
python-numpy-1.1-1.i386.rpm
Python's Numerical facilities. Very cool and very useful, but at the moment
a little bit buggy at least on Linux glibc boxes when useing long integers.
The Tools
---------
(Packages that are of special interest if you do a lot of Python programming
and/or Python extension programming.)
swig-1.1p5-1.i386.rpm
The swiss army knife (or Leatherman for americans) for everybody
who want's to extend Python, and the somewhat less used languages
like Perl, Tcl, Guile, ... ;-)
vim-5.1-1.i386.rpm
The best editor in the world that has Python support included and that can
be extended in Python. (Just my personal $0.02. ;-)
Other packages and updates
--------------------------
(Packages that are required by the Python packages, which I have packaged
myself. To other packages I provide links.)
TkStep
This is a stepified Tcl/tk which has been created by Oliver Graf
<ograf@fga.de>. As Oli is currently reworking these packages check for
uptodate versions at ftp.fga.de.
Tcl/Tk
I use the Tcl/Tk 8.0p2 distribution found on ftp.redhat.com in the hurricane
contrib directory.
glint-2.4-5.i386.rpm
This a patched version of glint that has be installed if you want to use
glint with my Python distribution.
pythonlib-1.22-2.i386.rpm
This is patched version of the RedHat pythonlib, that is fixed for Python
1.5.1 and earlier versions.
newt-0.21-2.i386.rpm
This is a patched version of the RedHat newt package, that is fixed for
Python 1.5.x versions.
2. Installation
===============
Actual installation
-------------------
Ok, the actual installation process is pretty straight forward but I will
repeat it for first time users of rpm.
Installation of the package: rpm -ihv package-name
Upgrade of the packages: rpm -Uhv package-name
(This is the suggested method)
Recompilation of the *.src.rpm file: rpm --rebuild package-name
Known Problems
--------------
Yeah, their exists known problems. First of all I will write down any known
problem I know and errors a lot of people have encountered.
a) glint doesn't work.
b) usercfg and netcfg don't work.
c) xrpm doesn't work as expected.
d) cabaret and the user terminal tools cause problems
e) Tkinter can't be used cause _tkinter is not found on the system.
f) Python core dumps on any import of a shared module
The answers as far as I know them.
a) That's easy too. Simply install my fixed version of glint, that you can
find at the location, you found this file, too.
b) This is also easy. Get the fixed pythonlib package from the ftp site you
got the Python packages from.
c) Don't know what the problem is, but I will have to look into this finally
after I promised it already.
d) That's easy again. Get the fixed newt packages from the same ftp site you
got these files from.
e) You have to install one of the _tkinter packages. (See above)
f) This is a bug in your glibc. Upgrade to glibc 2.0.7 namely
glibc-2.0.7-7.i386.rpm or later at RedHat.
3. ChangeLog
============
06.05.1998 (1.5.1-10 - intermediate important bugfix release)
- finally fixed the fileobject read/readline problem on non seekable file
objects. The problem is caused by a bug in (g)libc under Linux
- applied the latest patches again (as usuali)
- included a fixed newt package that supports Python 1.5
(You no longer have to do the nasty file copies of the snack stuff.)
[A new release with more features will follow soon, but I thought that such
important things as ftell problems should be fixed.]
29.04.1998
- the strftime bug is fixed by the latest patches to the time module
- applied the latest patches
- a fixed version of pythonlib has temporarly joined the distribution, while
RedHat doesn't supply one
- the Thread hack has been removed as suggested by Guido van Rossum, so that
we can now use a vanilla Tcl/Tk again, and I won't continue to support
this thing in my packages, cause I don't need it and I am not sure if it
works well.
4. Todo
=======
- create some more addon packages
* mysql
* PyGreSQL
* mxTools
* mxDateTime
* mxStack (?)
* my ncurses module (?)
Any suggestions?
- create a web page
- create a new credits section
5. Credits
==========
to be done
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