Spike - More than 1/2 of our users use Python environments that are of type unknown

[DonJayamanne]

To improve the overall extension we need to understand what this unknown is.

• Its possible environments are not getting activated when they can?
  • This could impact debugging, linting, running code in terminal, etc.
• Its possible these are users using plain python installations that cannot be activated, in which case setting path variable in shell will ensure the right environment will get picked when user types python (we have an issue for this)
• Avoids confusions arising from interpreter type being labeled as Unknown in captured telemetry.

Note:

• Global python installations could fall into this category (/usr/bin/python)
• Python installations in C:/Program Files/Python/python.exe or similar) could fall into this category

Suggestions:

• When an interpreter is identified as unknown we should:
  • Check if the path is /usr/bin/python or <Program Files>/Python/python.exe or <User dir>/App Data/.... or similar (is this a standard install of python?)
  • Does the name virtualenv or similar exist in the path? (indicates we haven't been able to identify a conda environment, hence indicative of a bug/room for improvement.)
  • Does the name conda exist in the path? (indicates we haven't been able to identify a conda environment, hence indicative of a bug/room for improvement)
  • Does the name miniconda exist in the path? (indicates we haven't been able to identify a conda environment, hence indicative of a bug/room for improvement)
• Where is this environment?
  • In program files directory
  • In workspace directory
  • In users home directory
  • Other special paths..
• Whats the break down of these unknowns:
  • Version of Python
  • Type of OS

What next :

• Later depending on which categories these unknown environments fall into we could take additional actions:
  • E.g. if it exists in a conda dir but identified as unknown, we can prompt user to send additional information for diagnostic purposes?
  • E.g. if it exists in a virtual env dir but identified as unknown, we can prompt user to send additional information for diagnostic purposes?

[luabud]

We should verify this as we roll out #12020

[karrtikr]

No longer an issue 🎉