Re: [gentoo-dev] Re: [gentoo-commits] gentoo-x86 commit in media-libs/mlt: ChangeLog mlt-0.5.4-r1.ebuild

[Thomas Sachau]

Am 14.08.2010 19:35, schrieb Harald van Dijk:
> On Sat, Aug 14, 2010 at 06:26:12PM +0200, Thilo Bangert wrote:
>>> So you want me to force everyone to update the package just to respect
>>> the LDFLAGS.
>>
>> yes. IIRC it has been stated on this list before, that a change which
>> changes the resulting binary always needs to be done in a revbump.
>
> If that's true, that doesn't make sense. Take one extreme case: let's
> say libgcj, part of gcc, has a problem with LDFLAGS, and you fixed it.
> But the majority of people using gcc don't even turn on java support,
> those that do have a working libgcj already, and gcc can easily take
> hours to build. Should you revbump?
>
> There are always exceptions. Maybe you don't consider LDFLAGS support
> in general one of those exceptions, but clearly some others do. You
> can't just tell them "there are no exceptions" when there are, you need
> to explain why this isn't a valid reason to make an exception.
> My impression, too, is that few people care enough about LDFLAGS support
> to want to rebuild packages for it, so I would not have bumped either,
> but I'm willing to be convinced I'm wrong.
>
>

This is a nice example, why we should not create fixed rules for everything, but allow common rules
with the usage of common sense. If we now create a rule, which says "Bump on every change, always
and forever", people will complain for big things like gcc, openoffice or kdelibs. Instead, we have
a general rule, which every developer should learn at least from his mentor to revbump on every
change for installed files, but also to use common sense. In the case of openoffice for example, it
does not get a new version or revision for some minor updates, since rebuilding openoffice does take
much time and resources. The same should apply for your example of LDFLAGS for gcc, so you can do it
without a revbump there or wait, until a version bump comes in and directly add it there.

So while general, non-fixed rules may result in some discussions, they also allow adjustments in a
case by case decision, a fixed "Always revbump" rule creates issues at least for corner cases, in
this case packages with very long compile times.

-- 
Thomas Sachau

Gentoo Linux Developer