Formally deprecate distro.linux_distribution()

[jdufresne]

Users should use distro.id(), distro.version(), and distro.name()
instead.

Refs #263

[HorlogeSkynet]

There is a typo : s/compatability/compatibility/.

[sethmlarson]

Looks good, one nit:

[jdufresne]

Thanks for the reviews. I addressed all feedback in the latest revision.

[sethmlarson]

LGTM, pinging @nir0s as this is a big manifesto change. After this should we remove mentions to distro.linux_distribution() in the README, repository description, etc

[HorlogeSkynet]

Agreeing with @sethmlarson here. From my PoV this project (first) intended to be a drop-in replacement for the platform deprecated method. Maybe the official Python documentation should be updated too, as it points to this module for this specific purpose ?

[jdufresne]

I'll hold off on merging until @nir0s has a chance to weigh in.

[nir0s]

Guys, I appreciate you holding off, but let's not make a habit out of it. If you feel like there's a huge change, and you want me to pitch in, I'll try. However, if you think that it makes sense to do something, and I'm unresponsive, go ahead and do it.

Anyway, to address the comments:

LGTM, pinging @nir0s as this is a big manifesto change. After this should we remove mentions to distro.linux_distribution() in the README, repository description, etc

Indeed we should.

with @sethmlarson here. From my PoV this project (first) intended to be a drop-in replacement for the platform deprecated method. Maybe the official Python documentation should be updated too, as it points to this module for this specific purpose?

It's only my opinion, but I see no reason why there's a need for a single function that returns a tuple with an unclear structure. What's the first part? Is it the full name? The same questions apply to the codename and the version. Given that explicit is better than implicit, I'd rather do something like:

if distro.id() == "..." and distro.name() == "...":
   ...

which also allows me to pass fields explicitly to the relevant function (e.g. best),

Instead of:

distro_info = distro.linux_distribution()

if distro_info[0] == "you get the point":
  ...

I indeed think that the official Python documentation should be updated, and I don't mind deprecating this until distro v2.0 comes out, if only to give people a shitload of time to stop using it.

Honestly, I'm not strongly opinionated about this. distro is supposed to provide a reasonable alternative to an annoying problem. If the Python community responds badly to removing linux_distribution, AFAIC, we can leave it be. It's not like it takes a lot of effort to maintain.

However, even if we do decide to keep it, we can push to update the official Python docs to encourage people to use distro.id(), etc.. instead.

Thoughts?

[jdufresne]

Thanks.

I indeed think that the official Python documentation should be updated, and I don't mind deprecating this until distro v2.0 comes out, if only to give people a shitload of time to stop using it.

This makes sense. The warning is a good start and there is no rush to remove or anything like that.

[HorlogeSkynet]

@python-distro/maintainers

Dear maintainers, I guess we should update the GitHub repository description now that this deprecation has been released.

Any idea ? What about :

- A much more elaborate, renewed alternative implementation for Python's platform.linux_distribution()
+ A much more elaborate replacement for removed Python's `platform.linux_distribution()` method

Thanks 🙏

---

EDIT 2021-07-31 :

• description updated with proposed candidate
• python-library (recommended) tag added
• HTTPS URL scheme preferred for documentation link