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Throwing a question out there on whether to keep both the net-fs/ncpfs and |
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net-misc/ipx-utils packages around any longer. Kernel upstream removed both |
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the IPX (Internetwork Packet eXchange) protocol and NCPFS (NetWare Core |
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Protocol Filesystem) support back in ~4.18 due to lack of maintenance. I |
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know the code in both generally worked fine back then, as I have a few |
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NetWare VMs that I was able to mount filesystems from in Linux, even on my |
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MIPS hardware. |
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|
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However, it is effectively a dead protocol and dead filesystem for a dead |
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operating system (NetWare). I don't see anyone resurrecting IPX/NCPFS and |
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updating to get it re-included it in the kernel, either. I was tempted once |
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to try, but I just don't have the time anymore. |
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|
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I think we're one of the last distros to even keep IPX/NCPFS-related |
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packages around long-term. With no viable upstream for ncpfs anymore, and |
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with no kernel support in Linux (or even FreeBSD; they deprecated IPX in |
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~10.0-RELEASE), I think it's time to remove this package and any related |
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packages. |
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|
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One catch is, sys-kernel/gentoo-sources still keeps 4.4, 4.9, and 4.14 |
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stable kernel series around. These can still technically use IPX/NCPFS, and |
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therefore, there might be users using it. |
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|
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A quick poll of the portage tree suggests these changes are needed: |
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|
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Delete USE flag reference: |
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net-analyzer/hydra |
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profiles/use.local.desc (remove hydra's local 'ncp' entry) |
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|
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Remove ebuilds: |
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net-fs/ncpfs |
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net-misc/ipx-utils |
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|
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Remove filesystem reference?: |
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sys-apps/mlocate/files/updatedb.conf |
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|
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Remove reference to 'ipx-utils': |
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profiles/license_groups |
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|
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|
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Thoughts? |
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|
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-- |
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Joshua Kinard |
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Gentoo/MIPS |
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kumba@g.o |
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rsa6144/5C63F4E3F5C6C943 2015-04-27 |
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177C 1972 1FB8 F254 BAD0 3E72 5C63 F4E3 F5C6 C943 |
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|
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"The past tempts us, the present confuses us, the future frightens us. And |
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our lives slip away, moment by moment, lost in that vast, terrible in-between." |
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|
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--Emperor Turhan, Centauri Republic |