diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org')
| -rw-r--r-- | lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org | 187 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 187 deletions
diff --git a/lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org b/lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org deleted file mode 100644 index bc874aa2..00000000 --- a/lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org +++ /dev/null @@ -1,187 +0,0 @@ -# -*- mode: org -*- -#+TITLE: A Short History of the GPGME bindings for Python -#+LATEX_COMPILER: xelatex -#+LATEX_CLASS: article -#+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [12pt] -#+LATEX_HEADER: \usepackage{xltxtra} -#+LATEX_HEADER: \usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry} -#+LATEX_HEADER: \setmainfont[Ligatures={Common}]{Times New Roman} - -* Overview - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: overview - :END: - -| Version: | 0.0.1 | -| GPGME Version: | 1.13.0 | -| Author: | Ben McGinnes <[email protected]> | -| Author GPG Key: | DB4724E6FA4286C92B4E55C4321E4E2373590E5D | -| Language: | Australian English, British English | -| xml:lang: | en-AU, en-GB, en | - -The GPGME Python bindings passed through many hands and numerous -phases before, after a fifteen year journey, coming full circle to -return to the source. This is a short explanation of that journey. - -** In the beginning - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: in-the-begining - :END: - - In 2002 John Goerzen released PyME; Python bindings for the GPGME - module which utilised the current release of Python of the time and - SWIG.[fn:1] Shortly after creating it and ensuring it worked he stopped - supporting it, though he left his work available on his Gopher - site. - - -** Keeping the flame alive - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: keeping-the-flame-alive - :END: - - A couple of years later the project was picked up by Igor Belyi and - actively developed and maintained by him from 2004 to 2008. Igor's - whereabouts at the time of this document's creation are unknown, - but the current authors do hope he is well. We're assuming (or - hoping) that life did what life does and made continuing untenable. - - -** Passing the torch - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: passing-the-torch - :END: - - In 2014 Martin Albrecht wanted to patch a bug in the PyME code and - discovered the absence of Igor. Following a discussion on the PyME - mailing list he became the new maintainer for PyME, releasing - version 0.9.0 in May of that year. He remains the maintainer of - the original PyME release in Python 2.6 and 2.7 (available via - PyPI). - - -** Coming full circle - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: ouroboros - :END: - - In 2015 Ben McGinnes approached Martin about a Python 3 version, - while investigating how complex a task this would be the task ended - up being completed. A subsequent discussion with Werner Koch led - to the decision to fold the Python 3 port back into the original - GPGME release in the languages subdirectory for non-C bindings - under the module name of =pyme3=. - - In 2016 this PyME module was integrated back into the GPGME project - by Justus Winter. During the course of this work Justus adjusted - the port to restore limited support for Python 2, but not as many - minor point releases as the original PyME package supports. During - the course of this integration the package was renamed to more - accurately reflect its status as a component of GPGME. The =pyme3= - module was renamed to =gpg= and adopted by the upstream GnuPG team. - - In 2017 Justus departed G10code and the GnuPG team. Following this - Ben returned to maintain of gpgme Python bindings and continue - building them from that point. - - -* Relics of the past - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: relics-past - :END: - -There are a few things, in addition to code specific factors, such as -SWIG itself, which are worth noting here. - -** The Annoyances of Git - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: the-annoyances-of-git - :END: - - As anyone who has ever worked with git knows, submodules are - horrible way to deal with pretty much anything. In the interests - of avoiding migraines, that was skipped with addition of the PyME - code to GPGME. - - Instead the files were added to a subdirectory of the =lang/= - directory, along with a copy of the entire git log up to that point - as a separate file within the =lang/python/docs/= directory.[fn:2] - As the log for PyME is nearly 100KB and the log for GPGME is - approximately 1MB, this would cause considerable bloat, as well as - some confusion, should the two be merged. - - Hence the unfortunate, but necessary, step to simply move the - files. A regular repository version has been maintained should it - be possible to implement this better in the future. - - -** The Perils of PyPI - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: the-perils-of-pypi - :END: - - The early port of the Python 2 =pyme= module as =pyme3= was never - added to PyPI while the focus remained on development and testing - during 2015 and early 2016. Later in 2016, however, when Justus - completed his major integration work and subsequently renamed the - module from =pyme3= to =gpg=, some prior releases were also - provided through PyPI. - - Since these bindings require a matching release of the GPGME - libraries in order to function, it was determined that there was - little benefit in also providing a copy through PyPI since anyone - obtaining the GPGME source code would obtain the Python bindings - source code at the same time. Whereas there was the potential to - sew confusion amongst Python users installing the module from PyPI, - only to discover that without the relevant C files, header files or - SWIG compiled binaries, the Python module did them little good. - - There are only two files on PyPI which might turn up in a search - for this module or a sample of its content: - - 1. gpg (1.8.0) - Python bindings for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library - 2. pyme (0.9.0) - Python support for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library - -*** GPG 1·8·0 - Python bindings for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: pypi-gpgme-180 - :END: - - This is the most recent version to reach PyPI and is the version - of the official Pyhon bindings which shipped with GPGME 1.8.0. If - you have GPGME 1.8.0 installed and /only/ 1.8.0 installed, then it - is probably safe to use this copy from PyPI. - - As there have been a lot of changes since the release of GPGME - 1.8.0, the GnuPG Project recommends not using this version of the - module and instead installing the current version of GPGME along - with the Python bindings included with that package. - - -*** PyME 0·9·0 - Python support for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library - :PROPERTIES: - :CUSTOM_ID: pypi-gpgme-90 - :END: - - This is the last release of the PyME bindings maintained by Martin - Albrecht and is only compatible with Python 2, it will not work - with Python 3. This is the version of the software from which the - port from Python 2 to Python 3 code was made in 2015. - - Users of the more recent Python bindings will recognise numerous - points of similarity, but also significant differences. It is - likely that the more recent official bindings will feel "more - pythonic." - - For those using Python 2, there is essentially no harm in using - this module, but it may lack a number of more recent features - added to GPGME. - - -* Footnotes - -[fn:1] In all likelihood this would have been Python 2.2 or possibly -Python 2.3. - -[fn:2] The entire PyME git log and other preceding VCS logs are -located in the =gpgme/lang/python/docs/old-commits.log= file. |