interesting -- for me not (even tried with fakeroot... have no intention to invoke it as root ;) )
```
....
hard linking setup.py -> fail2ban-0.8.8
hard linking client/__init__.py -> fail2ban-0.8.8/client
error: Operation not permitted
2 14100 ->1.....................................:Sun 10 Mar 2013 12:36:20 AM EST:.
(git)novo:~deb/fail2ban[master]git
$> fakeroot python setup.py bdist_rpm 
running bdist_rpm
writing 'build/bdist.linux-x86_64/rpm/SPECS/fail2ban.spec'
running sdist
running check
reading manifest file 'MANIFEST'
making hard links in fail2ban-0.8.8...
hard linking client/__init__.py -> fail2ban-0.8.8/client
error: Operation not permitted
```
ok -- time to see the bed. good night