[Zope] WTF is a monkeypatch?

[Lennart Regebro]

John Coleman wrote:
> I am trying to resolve some Oracle issues with ZopeProfiler, but it's a 
> "monkey patch" with no instructions on installing it.  I've searched 
> this mailing list and the zope.org website high and low for instructions 
> on installing a "monkey patch," but I'll be damned if I can find them. 

"Monkey patching" is the standard way of patching Python dynamically.
Instead of changing the actual source code, you replace the method you
want to patch with anotehr method, while running.

It's neat/ugly/hackish/magical/vfsh, and hence deserves the name "monkey
patch". :)

Monkey patching is therefore a technique, not a type of distribution,
and therefore there is no one way to install it. A monkey patch for Zope
is usually a separate Product that you install as any other product, and
that does the patching when being loaded.