5 Configure docutils to use ``setuptools`` instead of ``distutils``.
7 The history around python packaging is convuluted [1]_ [2]_ [3]_.
9 The internals of docutil would be benefit from upgrading the tooling to be
10 on par with the python ecosystem. This is especially important since many
11 modern python projects rely on docutils.
13 * `distutils was merged into setuptools`_ in 2013.
14 * It is recommended as a tool in the `Python Packaging User Guide`_, which
15 is ran by PyPA, who runs the official python package index (PyPI).
17 However, this cannot come at the expense of breaking compatibility with
18 existing functionality. This sandbox / branch also incorporates
19 researching concrete details on the implications setuptools would have to
20 the tooling of the project and its' compatibility.
27 .. _distutils was merged into setuptools:
28 https://mail.python.org/pipermail/distutils-sig/2013-March/020126.html
29 .. _Python Packaging User Guide: https://packaging.python.org/en/latest/
30 .. _setuptools docs: https://pythonhosted.org/setuptools/setuptools.html
31 .. [1] http://www.aosabook.org/en/packaging.html
32 .. [2] http://lucumr.pocoo.org/2012/6/22/hate-hate-hate-everywhere/
33 .. [3] http://stackoverflow.com/a/14753678