Re: [gentoo-dev] USE flag documentation

[Denis Dupeyron]

I like the overall idea. I will comment the first proposed alternative
as this is the one that makes the most sense in my opinion.

> Having one global use.xml where the default definitions are, and then using metadata.xml for each package to override the USE flag definition.

With 's/default definitions/global USE flag definitions/' and
's/override the USE flag definition/define the local USE flags/' I
would be even happier. Global USE flags should be defined in a central
place and never be overridden. Local flags should be defined locally
i.e. in the package subdirectory.

I'd even go as far as adding that metadata.xml could include some
clarifications/specifics/notes/warnings/whatever about a global USE
flag for a given package, but that should not be a redefinition of the
global USE flag. This would be appended by third party tools to
complement the definition of the global USE flag in the context of
that particular package.

> Problems with this approach include...
> * Easy to duplicate USE flags since we don't have a central repository for them.

I'm not following you here. We'd have a central use.xml, so what do
you mean ? And it's OK for local flags to be conflicting or duplicated
since they're local.

> Lots of small files to go and parse to get the full picture of the tree.

This can be cached.

Denis.
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