On 27.06.2013 09:36, STINNER Victor wrote:
> 
> STINNER Victor added the comment:
> 
> Extract of "GNU standards":
> 
> # make distclean
> #      Delete all files from the current directory that are created by
> #      configuring or building the program.  If you have unpacked the
> #      source and built the program without creating any other files,
> #      `make distclean' should leave only the files that were in the
> #      distribution.
> 
> Python should only remove files generated by the build process: Makefile, pyconfig.h, *.o, etc. But not files generated by Mercurial (.orig, .rej), backup files (.old, .bak), nor any other files which is not generated by the build. These files may be important for the developer (Mercurial keeps modified files after "hg revert --all" for example).
> 
> If someone wants an hardcore cleaner, the command can be kept, but please, under a different name.

Hmm, but distclean is exactly the kind of cleaner it's meant to be:
you use the command to prepare for a source code distribution and
you don't want any backup files or failed patch traces in your
source code distribution.

Perhaps we should introduce a softer version that leaves the
files you mention in untouched, so it can be used by developers,
e.g. make devclean.