Re: [Docutils-develop] commit r9177 remove `bdist_rpm`

[Adam T. <aat...@ou...>]

Dear Günter,

[snip]

> The reason for the [bdist_rpm] section is not publishing on PyPI but
> facilitating the inclusion of Docutils in 3rd party software
> distributions using the RPM package format.

> "python-docutils" RPM packages are part of, e.g., the SuSe and Fedora Linux
> distributions.
> https://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=2022758
> https://gitea.opensuse.org/rpm/python-docutils

Fedora uses the modern and standards compliant "pyproject" (PEP 517 & 518) approach:

https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/python-docutils/blob/rawhide/f/python-docutils.spec#_49

Opensuse also use the modern approach:

https://gitea.opensuse.org/rpm/python-docutils/src/branch/factory/python-docutils.spec#L75

In general, the move is that Python packaging tools should not publish binary distributions for anything other than Python packaging standards (the Wheel specification), and repackagers for other distributions or platforms (e.g. ".deb" for debian, or ".rpm" for the red hat ecosystem) should use their own tooling.

> If there are reasons to stop this support for RPM packagers, this should be
> clearly communicated (starting with an "end of service announcement"
> in the "Future Changes" section of the RELEASE-NOTES).

I shall add a notice, but note as above this does not stop support for RPM packagers, as they do not use "setup.py bdist_rpm".

Thanks,
Adam