I wrote a little command line tool that keeps track of numerical simulations by storing runtime/memory/VCS-information along with the results.
I just tried uploading it to PyPI under the name labbook but realized that the name is taken by a project whose entire code content is the following:
"""
labbook.py
After modifying this file don't forget to modify __init__.py to expose your package's API.
"""
def a_function_of_mine():
"""
This function returns the string 'result'.
"""
return 'result'
class MyClass:
"""
This is a class that should be documented.
"""
def a_method_of_mine(self):
"""
Please document public methods as well.
"""
return 'another result'
Of course, there are other names I could give my project (I'm open for suggestions), but in general:
What is the proper procedure in this situation?
Contact the original author and ask if he would consider taking the project down (it seems the result of some tutorial, and is definitely not made to be reused)?
Renaming my project for pypi, but keeping the package structure, i.e. accepting possible conflicts for end-users that have both packages installed (unlikely in this case!)?
Renaming the entire project?
Asking PyPI to take the project down? This seems drastic enough to not be possible, but on the other hand if this is not possible, a malicious user could just take a dictionary and a short script to completely clutter PyPI and make uploading succinctly named packages impossible forever after
EDIT: As for the last option. Someone asked about this yesterday. It seemse there is a PEP proposing to make exactly that option possible, but is just a draft so far.