realpython / realpython/python-guide

Does guide recommend untrustworthy PPA?

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Description

Hi, I'm looking to install Python 3.8 on an older Ubuntu and I've noticed that a lot of guides are recommending the use of the deadsnakes PPA to do so on Ubuntu. Yours does, on line 23, here: https://github.com/realpython/python-guide/blob/master/docs/starting/install3/linux.rst#L23

This feels...unsafe? Maybe I'm paranoid, but the PPA seems to be maintained by three individuals, and in the PPA's description, it says:

there's no guarantee of timely updates in case of security problems or other issues. If you want to use them in a security-or-otherwise-critical environment (say, on a production server), you do so at your own risk.

Seems like there should be a warning in the guide, at the minimum, or that the guide should recommend installation from source (though it comes with its own problem: timely updates).

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with docs/starting/install3/linux.rst at line 23 and review the surrounding installation guidance. Assess whether the deadsnakes PPA needs a security warning or a different recommendation, then update the guide with the agreed guidance and verify the rendered documentation.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python, ubuntu
Domain
documentation
Issue type
Documentation
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
45/100

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