This issue tracker has been migrated to GitHub, and is currently read-only.
For more information, see the GitHub FAQs in the Python's Developer Guide.

Author terry.reedy
Recipients rhettinger, serhiy.storchaka, terry.reedy
Date 2017-09-01.14:00:33
SpamBayes Score -1.0
Marked as misclassified Yes
Message-id <1504274434.3.0.045839264856.issue31319@psf.upfronthosting.co.za>
In-reply-to
Content
idlelib.__main__ was added in 3.3: Patch was d543f2b8b0b66af330aae6764e53495cda48fd4e
Author: Andrew Svetlov <andrew.svetlov@gmail.com>
Date: 3/26/2012 3:11:46 PM
Message: IDLE can be launched as python -m ildelib [misspelled]

#24212 was about backporting the addition to 2.7.  I opened it after PEP 434 clearly made this permitted.  The attempt had the problems described therein.
---

I quite agree that 'python -m idle' would be nicer than 'python -m idlelib', just as the latter is nicer than idlelib.idle or  idlelib.pyshell.  However, switching would break every text (and program) that tell people about any of the latter three. That would include many of my (and other people's) Stackoverflow comments and answers.  I am therefore neither inclined to do this, nor do I think I am allowed to by out back-compatibility policies.

My impression is that the directory name linking needed to make both work without two copies is OS specific and not something that can be done in the repository.  I don't even know how to do it properly on Windows.  I am not going to try to get all installer makers to agree to make a change.
History
Date User Action Args
2017-09-01 14:00:34terry.reedysetrecipients: + terry.reedy, rhettinger, serhiy.storchaka
2017-09-01 14:00:34terry.reedysetmessageid: <1504274434.3.0.045839264856.issue31319@psf.upfronthosting.co.za>
2017-09-01 14:00:34terry.reedylinkissue31319 messages
2017-09-01 14:00:33terry.reedycreate