Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: Some strange blocking

[Mark Knecht]

On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 7:51 AM, Duncan <1i5t5.duncan@×××.net> wrote:
<SNIP>
>
> I really don't understand these folks who run partly stable systems.
> Either run stable, and be content with versions sometimes /years/ out of
> date, or run ~arch.  Mixing the two is IMO asking for trouble.  Yes,
> there may be very occasional exceptions due to hardware support, but I
> can't see openrc being in that category, and even then, if someone is
> planning to run sometimes years outdated stable, they really should check
> that the hardware they're looking at is supported that far back, before
> they get it.  Otherwise... bite the bullet and go with ~arch.  That's my
> opinion.
<SNIP>

Easy answer: Overlays.

I run (as much as I can) stable on my basic system. I don't care if
it's years out of date. I don't want to deal with (please excuse me
here) portage-kiddies who put out not-well-tested versions of packages
which cause me to upgrade and then downgrade as issues come up. I
figure if they haven't made it stable then I don't care...until I do
care.

Typically what causes me to 'care' about running non-stable is that I
*always* run package level ~arch for software in the pro-audio overlay
that I'm using. (Ardour, Jack, RoseGarden, dssi-vst requiring Wine,
etc.) I help test it. I use it. I cannot have those programs be more
than a day or two behind the developers. Often they are adding
features I've asked for. I owe it to them to test it and this
sometimes requires that I unmask some basic package maintained by the
main portage database. Operating this way allows me to get some
testing on these portage packages - the audio developer is using it
and it works for him - before I emerge it on my system.

Just my 2 cents,
Mark