[Zope3-dev] Re: Zope 3 Packages vs Python Packages

[Paul Everitt]

Chris Withers wrote:
> Shane Hathaway wrote:
> 
>> Chris Withers wrote:
>>
>>> Ugh! Is it only me who see's the potential for huge amounts of 
>>> unnecessary confusion?! Python got Package first, why not call the 
>>> Zope 3 things 'bundles'.
>>> I'm open to 'bale', 'crate' or even 'parcel' too ;-)
>>> http://thesaurus.reference.com/search?q=package
>>
>>
>> You can already put a Python package in a RedHat package, then put 
>> that RPM in a software package and ship it to retailers in a boxed 
>> package. 
> 
> 
> RedHat package's are refered to as 'RPMs' by most people I know of.

Maybe you should meet some new people? :^)  Take a look at:

   http://www.ximian.com/products/redcarpet/features.html

What does RedHat say?  Well, they're confused too:

   https://rhn.redhat.com/info/purchase_info.pxt

On that page, you can find these things referred to as "packages", 
"software", "files", "updates", and once you can even find them referred 
to as RPMs.

Sure, both these links are targetted at the average guy, the one that 
represents the 99.999999% of the people not yet in the inner circle.

> The other sort you refer to are usually called 'Software Packages', not 
> just 'Packages'.

Except when they are.  ActiveState's tools include a "Visual Package 
Manager".  Even rpmfind.net:

   http://www.rpmfind.net/linux/RPM/

...switches to "package", after introducing "RPM package" in the first 
sentence.

>> No one chooses a different word because no one finds it confusing. :-)
> 
> 
> I think they would if the term 'Package' was used without any context. 
> This is likely to happen when dealing with Zope 'Packages' written in 
> Python packages.

Here's the way I see it:

1) 95% of the people in Zopeland that encounter the thing currently 
being discussed will be average schmoes.  They will *not* know or care 
about the fine semantic details of Python packages.

1a) If you disagree on the 95% number, then that's really bad news for 
the future of Zope.

2) Inventing a new, unfamiliar term to avoid mental-collusion for the 5% 
of insiders will help ensure we don't have to worry too much about the 
95%'ers. :)  ("Bundle, how cute, where did they come up with *that* word?")

3) Let's start thinking about how Zope 3 will portray itself to people 
that aren't on zope3-dev.

--Paul