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diff --git a/lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org b/lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org new file mode 100644 index 0000000..587cb9f --- /dev/null +++ b/lang/python/doc/src/short-history.org @@ -0,0 +1,172 @@ +#+TITLE: A Short History of the GPGME bindings for Python +#+LATEX_COMPILER: xelatex +#+LATEX_CLASS: article +#+LATEX_CLASS_OPTIONS: [12pt] +#+LATEX_HEADER: \usepackage{xltxtra} +#+LATEX_HEADER: \usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry} +#+LATEX_HEADER: \setmainfont[Ligatures={Common}]{Latin Modern Roman} + +* Overview + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: overview + :END: + +The GPGME Python bindings passed through many hands and numerous +phases before, after a fifteen year journey, coming full circle to +return to the source. This is a short explanation of that journey. + +** In the beginning + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: in-the-begining + :END: + + In 2002 John Goerzen released PyME; Python bindings for the GPGME + module which utilised the current release of Python of the time and + SWIG.[fn:1] Shortly after creating it and ensuring it worked he stopped + supporting it, though he left his work available on his Gopher + site. + +** Keeping the flame alive + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: keeping-the-flame-alive + :END: + + A couple of years later the project was picked up by Igor Belyi and + actively developed and maintained by him from 2004 to 2008. Igor's + whereabouts at the time of this document's creation are unknown, + but the current authors do hope he is well. We're assuming (or + hoping) that life did what life does and made continuing untenable. + +** Passing the torch + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: passing-the-torch + :END: + + In 2014 Martin Albrecht wanted to patch a bug in the PyME code and + discovered the absence of Igor. Following a discussion on the PyME + mailing list he became the new maintainer for PyME, releasing + version 0.9.0 in May of that year. He remains the maintainer of + the original PyME release in Python 2.6 and 2.7 (available via + PyPI). + +** Coming full circle + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: ouroboros + :END: + + In 2015 Ben McGinnes approached Martin about a Python 3 version, + while investigating how complex a task this would be the task ended + up being completed. A subsequent discussion with Werner Koch led + to the decision to fold the Python 3 port back into the original + GPGME release in the languages subdirectory for non-C bindings + under the module name of =pyme3=. + + In 2016 this PyME module was integrated back into the GPGME project + by Justus Winter. During the course of this work Justus adjusted + the port to restore limited support for Python 2, but not as many + minor point releases as the original PyME package supports. During + the course of this integration the package was renamed to more + accurately reflect its status as a component of GPGME. The =pyme3= + module was renamed to =gpg= and adopted by the upstream GnuPG team. + + In 2017 Justus departed G10code and the GnuPG team. Following this + Ben returned to maintain of gpgme Python bindings and continue + building them from that point. + +* Relics of the past + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: relics-past + :END: + +There are a few things, in addition to code specific factors, such as +SWIG itself, which are worth noting here. + +** The Annoyances of Git + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: the-annoyances-of-git + :END: + + As anyone who has ever worked with git knows, submodules are + horrible way to deal with pretty much anything. In the interests + of avoiding migraines, that was skipped with addition of the PyME + code to GPGME. + + Instead the files were added to a subdirectory of the =lang/= + directory, along with a copy of the entire git log up to that point + as a separate file within the =lang/python/docs/= directory.[fn:2] + As the log for PyME is nearly 100KB and the log for GPGME is + approximately 1MB, this would cause considerable bloat, as well as + some confusion, should the two be merged. + + Hence the unfortunate, but necessary, step to simply move the + files. A regular repository version has been maintained should it + be possible to implement this better in the future. + +** The Perils of PyPI + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: the-perils-of-pypi + :END: + + The early port of the Python 2 =pyme= module as =pyme3= was never + added to PyPI while the focus remained on development and testing + during 2015 and early 2016. Later in 2016, however, when Justus + completed his major integration work and subsequently renamed the + module from =pyme3= to =gpg=, some prior releases were also + provided through PyPI. + + Since these bindings require a matching release of the GPGME + libraries in order to function, it was determined that there was + little benefit in also providing a copy through PyPI since anyone + obtaining the GPGME source code would obtain the Python bindings + source code at the same time. Whereas there was the potential to + sew confusion amongst Python users installing the module from PyPI, + only to discover that without the relevant C files, header files or + SWIG compiled binaries, the Python module did them little good. + + There are only two files on PyPI which might turn up in a search + for this module or a sample of its content: + + 1. gpg (1.8.0) - Python bindings for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library + 2. pyme (0.9.0) - Python support for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library + +*** GPG 1·8·0 - Python bindings for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: pypi-gpgme-180 + :END: + + This is the most recent version to reach PyPI and is the version + of the official Pyhon bindings which shipped with GPGME 1.8.0. If + you have GPGME 1.8.0 installed and /only/ 1.8.0 installed, then it + is probably safe to use this copy from PyPI. + + As there have been a lot of changes since the release of GPGME + 1.8.0, the GnuPG Project recommends not using this version of the + module and instead installing the current version of GPGME along + with the Python bindings included with that package. + +*** PyME 0·9·0 - Python support for GPGME GnuPG cryptography library + :PROPERTIES: + :CUSTOM_ID: pypi-gpgme-90 + :END: + + This is the last release of the PyME bindings maintained by Martin + Albrecht and is only compatible with Python 2, it will not work + with Python 3. This is the version of the software from which the + port from Python 2 to Python 3 code was made in 2015. + + Users of the more recent Python bindings will recognise numerous + points of similarity, but also significant differences. It is + likely that the more recent official bindings will feel "more + pythonic." + + For those using Python 2, there is essentially no harm in using + this module, but it may lack a number of more recent features + added to GPGME. + +* Footnotes + +[fn:1] In all likelihood thos would have been Python 2.2 or possibly +Python 2.3. + +[fn:2] The entire PyME git log and other preceding VCS logs are +located in the =gpgme/lang/python/docs/old-commits.log= file. |