Discussion: should dev package be uninstalled by default?

[faxm0dem]

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I find it very surprising that the following code would uninstall the python-devel package:

include python

I believe there should be three possible outcomes of the dev parameter:

• true ⇒ ensure present
• false ⇒ ensure absent
• undef (default) ⇒ noop

[igalic]

agreed. especially given how perfectly useless pip/virtualenv, etc… are without python-devel, i'd assume 'true' to be default.

[faxm0dem]

I have no problem with true being the default

[gene1wood]

An additional reason for this is that, at least under Centos 7, python-virtualenv depends on python-devel so if you set virtualenv to true when you call the python class but don't set dev to true

• The first puppet run
  • puppet sees that python-devel is not installed and so doesn't try to uninstall it
  • puppet installs python-virtualenv which also installs python-devel as it is a dependency
• The second puppet run
  • puppet sees that python-devel is installed and attempts to uninstall it
  • this fails as it's a dependency of python-virtualenv

[shivapoudel]

Let me know if the bug till exists.

[faxm0dem]

@shivapoudel are you referring to some change which fixes this?

[shivapoudel]

@gene1wood can you look for this :P

[shivapoudel]

@faxm0dem I have reopened the issue, are you interested in PR for this fix.

[faxm0dem]

Sure thing, does everyone agree that $dev = true be the default?

[shivapoudel]

@faxm0dem for me its ok.

[gene1wood]

I think the cleanest solution would be the default behavior to neither install nor uninstall python-devel but just leave it as it is (unless it's a dependency for something like virtualenv).

However if this is complicated to implement or feels confusing (to default to noop), then ya, $dev = true sounds fine to me (can't think of an instance where someone would have a problem with install the devel package other than a system with very little disk space)

[gene1wood]

@shivapoudel Once there's a PR I can try removing my workaround code and see if the PR fixes this in Centos 7

[daks]

I think the cleanest solution would be the default behavior to neither install nor uninstall python-devel but just leave it as it is (unless it's a dependency for something like virtualenv).

I agree with @gene1wood. I manage some very simple virtualenv which don't need python-dev installation. I prefer to keep it uninstalled.

[faxm0dem]

Okay then, I'll queue this on my TODO