Re: [gentoo-dev] Speaking of new kernels being added to the tree

[Stuart Herbert]

On Saturday 04 October 2003 3:04 pm, Luke-Jr wrote:

> emerge linux-mm-src, then. or emerge linux-redhat-src, if you prefer.

Sorry, but renaming packages always makes a mess of upgrades.  I've done it 
myself in the past, but I'm reluctant to do it again until Portage provides 
us with tools to automate the migration for users.

Besides, what value is there in adding 'linux-' in front of the different 
kernel names?  I know Gentoo's being ported to run on more than just the 
Linux kernel, but still.  Seems like change for change's sake.

> Just because you choose not to use it doesn't mean you should be forcing
> other people not to be able to. This provides the *option* to use it.
> Options are always best.

Simplicity is always best.  Options are good, but only when they add 
measurable value.  Or when they're just too cool to leave out ;-)

> That annoying habit is what should be fixed, then. Using a bug as a reason
> to not implement a feature isn't a good idea... =p

If it was that easy, I think someone would have fixed it by now ... ;-)  Tbh, 
the fix is probably just to slot the module, using a combination of the 
target kernel version and the module's version.

If what you're proposing are changes *just* to genkernel, then I don't really 
care what you do.  But you're talking like you're suggesting fundamental 
changes to the kernel ebuilds themselves.  *That's* what I'm objecting to ;-)

> For the most part, what I am suggesting is adding options, not removing
> them. Where people used vanilla-sources in the past (which is quite vague
> actually; why should one assume -sources means it's Linux?),

Erm, because the package is actually called sys-kernel/vanilla-sources, 
perhaps? ;-)  And because the distribution is known as Gentoo Linux? ;-)

Seriously, I do see the problem you're describing.  But before you go around 
renaming packages, please implement a solution in Portage that will 
automatically handle 'emerge -u' when the package has been renamed.

Thanks,
Stu
-- 
Stuart Herbert                                              stuart@g.o
Gentoo Developer                                       http://www.gentoo.org/
Beta packages for download            http://dev.gentoo.org/~stuart/packages/
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