[ENH] Synchronize dependency checker with sktime counterpart

[meraldoantonio]

Reference Issues/PRs

Potentially fixes failing tests in #358 (failing Python tests)
Addresses issue #489

What does this implement/fix? Explain your changes.

Synchronized dependency checking utilities in utils with the one from sktime

The current version is a fork of a much earlier version of sktime and is problematic as it must import packages in order to check presence of dependencies. This is causing the failures in the test collection phase in #358, or more generally, in a case where the imported package is faulty, with import causing exceptions.

Does your contribution introduce a new dependency? If yes, which one?

No

What should a reviewer concentrate their feedback on?

Compatibility of the content with the wider skpro ecosystem

Did you add any tests for the change?

Yes, I copied the corresponding dependency test test_show_versions from sktime

Any other comments?

No

PR checklist

For all contributions

• The PR title starts with either [ENH], [MNT], [DOC], or [BUG]. [BUG] - bugfix, [MNT] - CI, test framework, [ENH] - adding or improving code, [DOC] - writing or improving documentation or docstrings.

[fkiraly]

Great!

I think you also need to update the tests or they will run out of sync.

[fkiraly]

Thanks!

Before we merge, have you checked whether this fixes the failure in the other PR now?

[fkiraly]

I´ll just merge and we will see.