Re: [gentoo-dev] Unused ebuild built_with_use cleanup

[Petteri Räty]

Marijn Schouten (hkBst) wrote:
> Petteri Räty wrote:
>> I wrote a script to check which ebuilds use built_with_use and have
>> keywords in never versions making the ebuild unused. This means that
>> neither arch or ~arch users are likely to install the ebuild. The script
>> and the list of ebuilds is attached. I plan on removing all these
>> ebuilds two weeks from now unless a reason is given why not to. If you
>> see an ebuild on the list that should be kept, please migrate it to EAPI
>> 2. If you need assistance in migrating, I can help. With these gone
>> built_with_use usage will be down to about 600:
>
> I have some ebuilds on the list: plt-scheme, stklos, lilypond. I usually clean
> up unused ebuilds some time after a new version has gone stable.
>
> Anyway my question is: what is the point of removing unused versions in the
> proposed manner? If the newer version is not ported to EAPI 2 and also uses
> built_with_use what do we gain? Even if it is already ported, do we gain
> anything by the propsed removal? Are all unused ebuilds evil?
>

It saves my time when removing built_with_use from packages that still
have active versions using it. Many packages are also unmaintained so
the versions with built_with_use don't get removed without doing
something like this.

> If built_with_use is to be eliminated from the tree I propose that effort is
> directed towards porting and stabling ebuilds that still use it. After the
> stable version has begun using EAPI 2 use deps, then all uses of built_with_use
> in other versions can be considered obsolete and those ebuilds can be removed in
> one fell sweep if need be.
>

It will be eliminated eventually. I am in the process of doing so but as
you can see from the numbers it takes quite a lot of work to get rid of
them.

Regards,
Petteri