On Sun, 5 Dec 2010 23:13:30 +0100
Ulrich Mueller <ulm@g.o> wrote:
> Thank you for your quick response, but this doesn't answer my
> questions:

Well, the entire thing's irrelevant, since Portage's implementation
ignored all the careful discussion and planning that went into the
wording in PMS... But if you're thinking of fixing Portage, then...

> >> Why is the second item needed? Changes to DISTDIR don't alter other
> >> packages, so aren't they covered by the first item anyway? Or do I
> >> misunderstand the first item's first sentence?

Modifying DISTDIR's technically modifying things on /. Or at least, it
can be interpreted that way, so the clarification's needed.

> >> Which of the following examples count as "variancy"?
> >>  - Calling enewuser() in pkg_setup,

That's a "simple addition of something that doesn't alter other
packages", unless you go out of your way to concoct a deliberately
perverse counterexample.

> >>  - Removing orphan files in pkg_setup,

Depends upon whether doing so modifies other packages. Although, orphan
stuff is a job for pkg_preinst or pkg_postinst, not pkg_setup.

> >>  - Calling pkg_pretend.

pkg_pretend's sandboxed and isn't supposed to be modifying /, so that
should be ok.

-- 
Ciaran McCreesh