id	summary	reporter	owner	description	type	status	component	version	severity	resolution	keywords	cc	stage	has_patch	needs_docs	needs_tests	needs_better_patch	easy	ui_ux
21108	pip install --pre Django==1.xb not found	Elena Williams	nobody	"Pre-release version of Django cannot be installed using pip, even when pre-release flag is used.

This is a feature request (or report of feature incompleteness) not a bug.

We're developing against pre-release in anticipation of project launch after version release (and to assist bug-finding), the number of security releases recently has brought this to our attention as an extra layer of administration in this case.

Another scenario where this feature would have been useful was wanting to show someone pre-release version features in PyCon corridor-track but then needing to clarify that pip installation wasn't possible.

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Twitter discussion on 17-Sep-2013 went as follows:
Elena Williams @elequ
(Whilst got all up in @freakboy3742 's face about at PyConAU, asking again): why for no `pip install --pre django==1.6b4` ? #sadpony

Russell Keith-Magee @freakboy3742
@elequ Historically, because PyPI would interpret 1.6b4 as a 'newer' release than 1.5.4. Need to update our release process.


Elena Williams @elequ
@freakboy3742 Cool :) Just double-checking the last part of that. In whose face is it that one gets for that? Is there a bug I can follow?


Russell Keith-Magee @freakboy3742
@elequ @ubernostrum is the grand master of releases. No ticket tracking this that I'm aware of.


James Bennett @ubernostrum
@freakboy3742 @elequ Historically we avoid putting prerelease packages on PyPI so as not to confuse installers looking for ""newest"".


Alex Gaynor @alex_gaynor
@ubernostrum @freakboy3742 @elequ We should be able to put a .wheel up there, since old installers don’t know about it.


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There may be a pre-existing ticket but searches from ""prerelease"", ""pip pre"" and some variations weren't forthcoming."	New feature	closed	Packaging	dev	Normal	fixed	1.8-alpha		Accepted	0	0	0	0	0	0