Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: Aron Griffis <agriffis@g.o>
To: gentoo-dev@g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-dev] preference concerns over "gentoo-ization" of packages
Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2003 15:23:19
Message-Id: 20030928152317.GA16283@time
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-dev] preference concerns over "gentoo-ization" of packages by Jason Wever
1 Jason Wever wrote: [Sun Sep 28 2003, 09:08:13AM EDT]
2 > In the Larry The Cow poster/image it says;
3 > "He discovered lots of up-to-date packages that could be auto-built using
4 > the optimization settings and build-time functionality that he wanted,
5 > rather than what some distro creator thought would be best for him."
6 >
7 > I would assume from this that packages would be installed without
8 > distro customization. Granted this doesn't say we won't change the
9 > default behavior of programs, but I think it's a logical conclusion based
10 > on the above quote from the website.
11
12 I think that is the wrong assumption...
13
14 "optimization settings" == compile-time flags, processor setting
15 "built-time functionality" == libraries, optional modules, gtk vs kde, etc.
16
17 Larry's complaint above pertains to things he can't change after the
18 installation of a package. Binary-only distros provide you with a
19 package that is customized with a set of static configure options,
20 compiled with a set of flags, and linked against libraries that are not
21 left to the choosing of the user. That is the problem that Portage
22 solves by building packages on the user's machine, with USE-flags to
23 guide the build process.
24
25 On the other hand, what you're talking about is run-time functionality.
26 In general, the changes in the ebuilds modify run-time configuration.
27 It's not the appropriate place for a USE-flag (in most circumstances)
28 and furthermore, it's not hard for savvy users to change to their
29 preferred configuration. In Gentoo, it has always been up to the
30 discretion of the responsible devs to choose what default configuration
31 they feel is appropriate for each individual package.
32
33 Aron

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