Revision as of 18:28, 11 January 2013

Remove PyXML from Fedora

Summary

The goal of this Feature is to remove the PyXML package from Fedora.

Owner

Name: toshio
Email: toshio@fedoraproject.org

Current status

Targeted release: Fedora 19
Last updated: Jan 11, 2013
Percentage of completion: 45% (9 out of 20 packages resolved)

Detailed Description

PyXML has been dead upstream for many years. The main authors of it have stated this explicitly on the python-dev mailing list. It's successor, the python stdlib's xml module, has been getting bugfixes that PyXML has not. The current Fedora package maintainer (rrakus) asked about removing it in February, 2012.

The Python stdlib in python2.x also has the dubious behaviour of importing PyXML if it is installed and replacing its own code with PyXML's. In some cases, this leads to bugs (For instance: Eric bug, Docutils bug)as the old PyXML code does not cope with some usages that the version in the stdlib does.

We want to remove this package from Fedora. To do that we need to decide what happens to the packages that depend on it. After analyzing the packages that use it, most of them will be ported to another xml library as part of this Feature. However, a few packages will be dropped from Fedora instead.

Benefit to Fedora

Fedora will no longer have to carry old code with known bugs and no upstream maintainance. Packages that depended on that old code will be ported to a more responsive upstream codebase. Use of the python xml module will be more consistent as it will always be implmented with code from the python stdlib rather than code from the stdlib unless PyXML is installed on the user's system.

Scope

An F17 repoquery run revealed 20 packages that had deps on PyXML: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Toshio/Remove_PyXML#Deps I analyzed them and opened up bugs to deal with them in various ways. The open issues are tracked here: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=843176

At the moment, Rawhide is down to 10 packages with a dep on PyXML.

$ repoquery -q --tree-whatrequires PyXML
PyXML-0:0.8.4-28.fc18.x86_64 [cmd line]
 \_  bkchem-0:0.14.0-5.pre2.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 \_  comoonics-base-py-0:0.1-7.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 |   \_  comoonics-cdsl-py-0:0.2-20.noarch [1: comoonics-base-py = 0.1-7.fc18]
 |   \_  comoonics-cluster-py-0:0.1-26.noarch [1: comoonics-base-py = 0.1-7.fc18]
 \_  comoonics-cdsl-py-0:0.2-20.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 \_  comoonics-cluster-py-0:0.1-26.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 |   \_  comoonics-cdsl-py-0:0.2-20.noarch [1: comoonics-cluster-py = 0.1-26]
 |   \_  osr-dracut-module-chroot-0:0.8-2.noarch [1: comoonics-cluster-py = 0.1-26]
 |   \_  osr-dracut-module-cluster-0:0.8-2.noarch [1: comoonics-cluster-py = 0.1-26]
 \_  grc-0:0.70-9.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 \_  katello-cli-common-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 |   \_  katello-cli-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: katello-cli-common = 1.1.10-1.fc19]
 |   |   \_  katello-cli-unit-tests-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: katello-cli = 1.1.10-1.fc19]
 \_  katello-cli-unit-tests-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 \_  libopensync-plugin-google-calendar-1:0.22-7.fc18.x86_64 [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 \_  openerp-0:6.1-2.fc19.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
 |   \_  openerp-mpl-0:6.1-2.fc19.noarch [1: openerp = 6.1-2.fc19]
 |   |   \_  openerp-0:6.1-2.fc19.noarch [1: openerp-mpl = 6.1-2.fc19]
 \_  spacewalk-backend-tools-0:1.7.38-2.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]

The plan for each of those is:

bkchem: remove the dep in our package as the code that uses PyXML appears to be unused.
comoonics*: The maintainer hasn't replied to the bug report. The packages haven't been rebuilt by the maintainer since 2009 but the packager is status active. I plan to ping the maintainer about retiring the packages (and the dependent, osr-dracut-module package that he owns) in bugzilla and retiring them if I still don't get a response.
grc: This package is obsoleted by gnuradio. I've pinged the maintainer in the bug saying I'll retire the grc package if there's no response.
katello-cli-common: This one is a new dep. I have to open a bug on it. Analyzing the code looks like it's similar to this subscription-manager bug. I'll propose a patch to port to python-dateutil.
libopensync-plugin-google-calendar: No response on the bug. I plan to ping the maintainer about retiring the package if the maintainer is no longer interested or assisting in porting the package if the maintainer is interested.
openerp: No response from maintainer on the bug. I plan to drop the dep from the Fedora package as analysis of the code looks like that will be sufficient.
spacewalk-backend-tools: Fixed upstream. I'll coordinate with the package maintainer in the bug report to either have an update for F19 or a backport.

Once those packages are dealt with, I'll retire and block the PyXML package in F19/rawhide.

How To Test

Check that there is no PyXML package in the repositories: On F19, repoquery -q --whatprovides PyXML => should return no output.
Check that nothing requires PyXML in the repositories: On F19, repoquery -q --whatrequires PyXML => should return no output.

User Experience

This Feature should barely be noticable to Fedora end users. People who look at the package set itself instead of simply using the applications inside of it will notice that the packages for PyXML, comoonics, and grc have been removed. If anyone uses comoonics, they will notice that it is no longer in Fedora. Users of grc should already have experienced the switch to gnuradio as the gnuradio package obsoletes grc.

Dependencies

Covered in the scope section.

Contingency Plan

We'll ship Fedora 19 with some packages still depending on PyXML and a PyXML package still in the repository. This Feature will be retargetted for F20.

Documentation

https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Toshio/Remove_PyXML

Release Notes

Python programmers who use the xml module may find that a few pieces of it work differently than in the past. This is due to Fedora no longer shipping PyXML. This change allows the python stdlib's xml module to be visible to programmers (PyXML replaced the stdlib's code with its own). This was done because PyXML code is older and buggier than the stdlib code and unmaintained upstream.

Comments and Discussion

Please add comments and discussion to this section

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{admon/important | Comments and Explanations | The page source contains comments providing guidance to fill out each section.  They are invisible when viewing this page.  To read it, choose the "edit" link.<br/> '''Copy the source to a ''new page'' before making changes!  DO NOT EDIT THIS TEMPLATE FOR YOUR FEATURE.'''}}
-{{admon/important | Set a Page Watch| Make sure you click ''watch'' on your new page so that you are notified of changes to it by others, including the Feature Wrangler}}
+= Remove PyXML from Fedora <!-- The name of your feature --> =
-{{admon/note | All sections of this template are required for review by FESCo.  If any sections are empty it will not be reviewed }}
+== Summary ==
+The goal of this Feature is to remove the PyXML package from Fedora.
+== Owner ==
+* Name: [[User:Toshio| toshio]]
+* Email: toshio@fedoraproject.org
-<!-- All fields on this form are required to be accepted by FESCo.
+== Current status ==
-  We also request that you maintain the same order of sections so that all of the feature pages are uniform.  -->
+* Targeted release: [[Releases/19 | Fedora 19 ]]
+* Last updated: Jan 11, 2013
+* Percentage of completion: 45%  (9 out of 20 packages resolved)
-<!-- The actual name of your feature page should look something like: Features/Your_Feature_Name.  This keeps all features in the same namespace -->
+== Detailed Description ==
-= Feature Name <!-- The name of your feature --> =
+PyXML has been dead upstream for many years.  The main authors of it have stated this explicitly on the python-dev mailing list.  It's successor, the python stdlib's xml module, has been getting bugfixes that PyXML has not.  The current Fedora package maintainer (rrakus) asked about removing it in February, 2012.
-== Summary ==
+The Python stdlib in python2.x also has the dubious behaviour of importing PyXML if it is installed and replacing its own code with PyXML's. In some cases, this leads to bugs (For instance: [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=767737 Eric bug], [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=3552403&group_id=38414&atid=422030 Docutils bug])as the old PyXML code does not cope with some usages that the version in the stdlib does.
-<!-- A sentence or two summarizing what this feature is and what it will do.  This information is used for the overall feature summary page for each release. -->
-== Owner ==
+We want to remove this package from Fedora.  To do that we need to decide what happens to the packages that depend on it.  After analyzing the packages that use it, most of them will be ported to another xml library as part of this Feature.  However, a few packages will be dropped from Fedora instead.
-<!--This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are-->
-* Name: [[User:FASAcountName| Your Name]]
-<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your feature, status is requested, or  technical issues need to be resolved-->
-* Email: <your email address so we can contact you, invite you to meetings, etc.>
-== Current status ==
+== Benefit to Fedora ==
-* Targeted release: [[Releases/<number> | Fedora <number> ]]
+Fedora will no longer have to carry old code with known bugs and no upstream maintainance.  Packages that depended on that old code will be ported to a more responsive upstream codebase.  Use of the python xml module will be more consistent as it will always be implmented with code from the python stdlib rather than code from the stdlib unless PyXML is installed on the user's system.
-* Last updated: (DATE)
-* Percentage of completion: XX%
-<!-- CHANGE THE "FedoraVersion" TEMPLATES ABOVE TO PLAIN NUMBERS WHEN YOU COMPLETE YOUR PAGE. -->
+== Scope ==
-== Detailed Description ==
+An F17 repoquery run revealed 20 packages that had deps on PyXML: https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Toshio/Remove_PyXML#Deps
-<!-- Expand on the summary, if appropriate.  A couple sentences suffices to explain the goal, but the more details you can provide the better. -->
+I analyzed them and opened up bugs to deal with them in various ways.  The open issues are tracked here: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=843176
-== Benefit to Fedora ==
+At the moment, Rawhide is down to 10 packages with a dep on PyXML.
-<!-- What is the benefit to the platform?  If this is a major capability update, what has changed?  If this is a new feature, what capabilities does it bring? Why will Fedora become a better distribution or project because of this feature?-->
-== Scope ==
+<pre>
-<!-- What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?-->
+$ repoquery -q --tree-whatrequires PyXML
+PyXML-0:0.8.4-28.fc18.x86_64 [cmd line]
+ \_  bkchem-0:0.14.0-5.pre2.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ \_  comoonics-base-py-0:0.1-7.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ |   \_  comoonics-cdsl-py-0:0.2-20.noarch [1: comoonics-base-py = 0.1-7.fc18]
+ |   \_  comoonics-cluster-py-0:0.1-26.noarch [1: comoonics-base-py = 0.1-7.fc18]
+ \_  comoonics-cdsl-py-0:0.2-20.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ \_  comoonics-cluster-py-0:0.1-26.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ |   \_  comoonics-cdsl-py-0:0.2-20.noarch [1: comoonics-cluster-py = 0.1-26]
+ |   \_  osr-dracut-module-chroot-0:0.8-2.noarch [1: comoonics-cluster-py = 0.1-26]
+ |   \_  osr-dracut-module-cluster-0:0.8-2.noarch [1: comoonics-cluster-py = 0.1-26]
+ \_  grc-0:0.70-9.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ \_  katello-cli-common-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ |   \_  katello-cli-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: katello-cli-common = 1.1.10-1.fc19]
+ |   |   \_  katello-cli-unit-tests-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: katello-cli = 1.1.10-1.fc19]
+ \_  katello-cli-unit-tests-0:1.1.10-1.fc19.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ \_  libopensync-plugin-google-calendar-1:0.22-7.fc18.x86_64 [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ \_  openerp-0:6.1-2.fc19.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+ |   \_  openerp-mpl-0:6.1-2.fc19.noarch [1: openerp = 6.1-2.fc19]
+ |   |   \_  openerp-0:6.1-2.fc19.noarch [1: openerp-mpl = 6.1-2.fc19]
+  \_  spacewalk-backend-tools-0:1.7.38-2.fc18.noarch [1: PyXML = 0.8.4-28.fc18]
+</pre>
-== How To Test ==
+The plan for each of those is:
-<!-- This does not need to be a full-fledged document.  Describe the dimensions of tests that this feature is expected to pass when it is done.  If it needs to be tested with different hardware or software configurations, indicate them.  The more specific you can be, the better the community testing can be.
+* [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=843707 bkchem]: remove the dep in our package as the code that uses PyXML appears to be unused.
+* [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=844547 comoonics*]: The maintainer hasn't replied to the bug report.  The packages haven't been rebuilt by the maintainer since 2009 but the packager is status active.  I plan to ping the maintainer about retiring the packages (and the dependent, osr-dracut-module package that he owns) in bugzilla and retiring them if I still don't get a response.
+* [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=652370 grc]: This package is obsoleted by gnuradio.  I've pinged the maintainer in the bug saying I'll retire the grc package if there's no response.
+* katello-cli-common:  This one is a new dep.  I have to open a bug on it.  Analyzing the code looks like it's similar to this [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=844072 subscription-manager bug].  I'll propose a patch to port to python-dateutil.
+* [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=844545 libopensync-plugin-google-calendar]: No response on the bug.  I plan to ping the maintainer about retiring the package if the maintainer is no longer interested or assisting in porting the package if the maintainer is interested.
+* [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=842882 openerp]: No response from maintainer on the bug.  I plan to drop the dep from the Fedora package as analysis of the code looks like that will be sufficient.
+* [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=844533 spacewalk-backend-tools]: Fixed upstream.  I'll coordinate with the package maintainer in the bug report to either have an update for F19 or a backport.
-Remember that you are writing this how to for interested testers to use to check out your feature - documenting what you do for testing is OK, but it's much better to document what *I* can do to test your feature.
+Once those packages are dealt with, I'll retire and block the PyXML package in F19/rawhide.
-A good "how to test" should answer these four questions:
+== How To Test ==
-. What special hardware / data / etc. is needed (if any)?
+<ol>
-. How do I prepare my system to test this feature? What packages
+<li>Check that there is no PyXML package in the repositories: On F19, <code>repoquery -q --whatprovides PyXML</code> => should return no output.</li>
-need to be installed, config files edited, etc.?
+<li>Check that nothing requires PyXML in the repositories: On F19, <code>repoquery -q --whatrequires PyXML</code> => should return no output.</li>
-. What specific actions do I perform to check that the feature is
+</ol>
-working like it's supposed to?
-. What are the expected results of those actions?
--->
 == User Experience ==
-<!-- If this feature is noticeable by its target audience, how will their experiences change as a result?  Describe what they will see or notice. -->
+This Feature should barely be noticable to Fedora end users.  People who look at the package set itself instead of simply using the applications inside of it will notice that the packages for PyXML, comoonics, and grc have been removed.  If anyone uses comoonics, they will notice that it is no longer in Fedora.  Users of grc should already have experienced the switch to gnuradio as the gnuradio package obsoletes grc.
 == Dependencies ==
-<!-- What other packages (RPMs) depend on this package?  Are there changes outside the developers' control on which completion of this feature depends?  In other words, completion of another feature owned by someone else and might cause you to not be able to finish on time or that you would need to coordinate?  Other upstream projects like the kernel (if this is not a kernel feature)? -->
+Covered in the scope section.
 == Contingency Plan ==
-<!-- If you cannot complete your feature by the final development freeze, what is the backup plan?  This might be as simple as "None necessary, revert to previous release behaviour."  Or it might not.  If you feature is not completed in time we want to assure others that other parts of Fedora will not be in jeopardy.  -->
+We'll ship Fedora 19 with some packages still depending on PyXML and a PyXML package still in the repository.  This Feature will be retargetted for F20.
 == Documentation ==
-<!-- Is there upstream documentation on this feature, or notes you have written yourself?  Link to that material here so other interested developers can get involved. -->
-*
+* https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Toshio/Remove_PyXML
 == Release Notes ==
-<!-- The Fedora Release Notes inform end-users about what is new in the release.  Examples of past release notes are here: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/release-notes/ -->
+* Python programmers who use the xml module may find that a few pieces of it work differently than in the past.  This is due to Fedora no longer shipping PyXML.  This change allows the python stdlib's xml module to be visible to programmers (PyXML replaced the stdlib's code with its own).  This was done because PyXML code is older and buggier than the stdlib code and unmaintained upstream.
-<!-- The release notes also help users know how to deal with platform changes such as ABIs/APIs, configuration or data file formats, or upgrade concerns.  If there are any such changes involved in this feature, indicate them here.  You can also link to upstream documentation if it satisfies this need.  This information forms the basis of the release notes edited by the documentation team and shipped with the release. -->
-*
 == Comments and Discussion ==
-* See [[Talk:Features/Your_Feature_Name]]  <!-- This adds a link to the "discussion" tab associated with your page.  This provides the ability to have ongoing comments or conversation without bogging down the main feature page -->
+Please add comments and discussion to this section
-[[Category:FeaturePageIncomplete]]
+[[Category:FeatureReadyForWrangler]]
 <!-- When your feature page is completed and ready for review -->
 <!-- remove Category:FeaturePageIncomplete and change it to Category:FeatureReadyForWrangler -->
 <!-- After review, the feature wrangler will move your page to Category:FeatureReadyForFesco... if it still needs more work it will move back to Category:FeaturePageIncomplete-->
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