Re: [gentoo-user] Portage is misplaced in /usr

[Dale]

Cedric Sodhi wrote:
> There are several reasons why portage, neither the tree nor (especially
> not) the distfiles should reside in /usr.
>
> /var is expected to be heavily written and read from, as it is the case
> with the portage tree.
>
> It's possibly subject to fragmentation and small file sizes and heavy
> changes, which is usually accounted for my choosing an appropriate
> filesystem and configuring it accordingly.
>
> /usr is expected to be a static directory with mostly read access and
> few to no changes on a running system.
>
> This issue seems to have been ignored for a long time. When I asked
> about it, I met two types of responses:
>
> a) Those who thought about it and agreed, that portage should be moved
> b) Those who replied "deal with it"
>
> If you can think of good counter arguement which *logically* supports
> that portage should by default reside in /usr (including the distfiles
> and everything else variable) please tell us. If not, please refrain
> from logically irrelevant statements such as the above, "you can always
> do<insert some random workarround here>" or similar ones.
>
> If you have further arguments to support my point, I'd also welcome them
> to the discussion,
>
> I expect 90% or more of the real arguments to support my point.
>
> I've also heard rumours that such an outcome has already been there in
> the past, yet, gentoo developers ignored it and kept portage in /usr for
> unknown and most likely unlogical reasons. I believe these rumours.
>
> If again, the logical conclusion will be that portage should be moved
> but it is not acted upon but logic is ignored, please ask yourself what
> kind of distribution we are.
>
> "It is a community built around a distribution which is driven by
> more than 300 developers and thousands of users. "
>
>
> regards, MD
>
>
>

Moving the tree out of /usr has been discussed by the devs several 
times.  Each time, they have decided not to move it.  I doubt that is 
going to change anytime soon.

On another note, you can edit make.conf and put it anywhere you want.  
It being in /usr is not etched in stone or anything.  This is from my 
make.conf:

# PORTDIR is the location of the portage tree. This is the repository
#     for all profile information as well as all ebuilds. This directory
#     itself can reach 200M. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND that you change this.
#PORTDIR=/usr/portage
#

I don't think that warning is in the newer ones.  That one came from the 
1.4 days.  Sort of a old install.  ;-)

Dale

:-)  :-)