Re: [gentoo-dev] Package up for grabs: sys-firmware/iwl1000-ucode

[Jaco Kroon]

Hi,

On 2019/11/16 19:08, Michael 'veremitz' Everitt wrote:
> On 16/11/19 16:59, Matt Turner wrote:
>> On Sat, Nov 16, 2019 at 1:06 AM Jaco Kroon <jaco@××××××.za> wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> On 2019/11/15 21:35, Matt Turner wrote:
>>>> On Fri, Nov 15, 2019 at 2:20 AM Ulrich Mueller <ulm@g.o> wrote:
>>>>> The package is somewhat redundant, because sys-kernel/linux-firmware
>>>>> installs the same files. (Same for all other sys-firmware/iwl*-ucode
>>>>> packages.)
>>>> Should last-rite all of them, IMO.
>>>>
>>> I both agree and disagree with this.  It's the simpler solution and
>>> therefore I agree.
>>>
>>> I disagree because in some cases I really only want specific firmware
>>> for specific sets of hardware (especially where space constraints are an
>>> issue, read: embedded type systems).
>>>
>>> The current linux-firmware package is getting quite big in terms of install.
>> USE=savedconfig allows you to choose exactly which files to install :)
>>
> I've never found a good way (yet...) to figure out how to write a fresh new
> 'savedconfig' if you haven't ever previously emerged the package in
> question. Does anyone have a good method for this, that doesn't require
> unpacking the whole nine yards (Megs, Gigs...) first?
>
I Agree.

And for that matter, knowing which files to actually install, and what
to filter out.  With the split packages I know I want firmware for
something specific.  With the big package it really is much harder. 
That said:  generally I just merge the big package by default, unless I
have a specific reason to not do so (which is seldom).

Bandwidth is much less of an issue now than it was a decade ago, but
still, if you only need a few MB of firmware, why download the whole lot
first?

Kind Regards,
Jaco