mistersql, #python I don't like setuptools, setup.py nor the directions it evolved to. I will continue to not use setuptools except when some tool only works when you add setup tools into the mix (cython, mypyc) and in that case, I will use something else for the things that don't have to be setuptools.
It is a solution for native code interop developers who have unlimited tolerance for great galloping complexity. That it makes c++ developers happy, I mean, good for them.