Snake Farm call for participation
Anders Qvist
We are in the process of putting together a build farm for Python
and Python modules.
What are you trying to do?
We're trying to get Python to dependably build on a wider set of
Unices. The ultimate goal is to make Python into a ubiqutous piece
of software you can expect to find on any Unix system.
Why?
The immediate reason is that the Python Business Forum (PBF)
suggested that a build farm would be a good thing to have, and we
at Lysator Academic Computer Society thought it sounded like a
cool project. Many of the society's members are great fans of
Python. Having robust Python distruibutions of Python is one of
the core goals if the PBF.
Personally, Python has meant a lot to me (Anders Qvist), and I
want to give something back.
Who are you?
Currently, the project consists of members of the Lysator Academic
Computer Society at the University of Linköping, Sweden and
members of the PBF. The project is coordinated by Anders Qvist.
Anyone can join our english-speaking mailing list
(snake-farm at lists dot lysator dot liu dot se) at:
http://lists.lysator.liu.se/mailman/listinfo/snake-farm
Our official web site (currently under development) at:
http://www.lysator.liu.se/~sfarmer
Lysator is the Unix-friendly Computer Society at Linköping
University. Lysator is one of the oldest computer societies in
Sweden and has over 200 members.
Doesn't this require lots of hardware?
Lysator has a large and diverse collection of UNIX architectures,
which is now put to work trying to build and test Python source
code on a nightly basis. HP-UX, Solaris, Linux, AIX, UNICOS och
Ultrix are among the OSes we want to try to produce robust
versions of Python that pass the test suites.
http://www.lysator.liu.se/local/datorhandbok/maskiner.html
How can I help?
Trying to build the stuff is only a small part of the job. The big
task is to make sure it builds *successfully* - and keeps
building. You can help by tracking the build reports and trying to
figure out what breaks the builds and submitting patches. Join the
mailing list, participate in the debate and make sure that your
favourite Unix is among the ones that can run Python.
Also, if you have hardware that isn't on our list, you're extra
welcome to join the build farm.
What happens next?
The first step is to get a simple system ready, which builds and
tests the Python source code on various Unix platforms and reports
the results to the snake-farm mailing list, so we can keep Python
stable on a wide selection of Unices. Expect this to happen in
May.
In the future, we want to add widely used Python extensions to be
built against the latest Python source. This way developers will
get heads-ups about API breakages.
We also want to gather some statistics on the build process and
present it on a web page. Which architectures build and test
successfully right now, when did they last build or test
successfully and maybe some graphs.
While we're at it, the binaries for the various platforms should
be harvested and published in a directory accessible by HTTP, so
others can download and install them, without having to build
them. These binaries may eventually be the reference binaries the
PBF wants.
The current design does not allow others to patch the source code
in order to try to fix build failures on various platforms.
Allowing this has serious security implications, since this would
include modifications to the makefiles, which can execute
arbitrary shell commands.
References
http://www.lysator.liu.se/~sfarmer
Official Snake Farm home page.
http://lists.lysator.liu.se/mailman/listinfo/snake-farm
Snake Farm mailing list join page.
http://cvs.lysator.liu.se/viewcvs/viewcvs.cgi/?cvsroot=snake-farm
Scripts for the current snake farm.
Linköping University Academic Computer Society. An english version
is available from start page.
http://www.lysator.liu.se/local/datorhandbok/maskiner.html
Page in swedish, but the relevant info is universally
understandable.
The Python Business Forum.
Project Coordinator,
Anders "Quest" Qvist <quest at lysator dot liu dot se>
--
Anders "Quest" Qvist
"We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters
will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks
to the Internet, we know this is not true." -- Robert Wilensky