Re: [gentoo-dev] Changing order of default virtual/udev provider

[Rich Freeman]

On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 1:25 PM, Alon Bar-Lev <alonbl@g.o> wrote:
>
> I also mask all systemd files that somehow find their way into my
> system thanks to your past decisions as systemd supporter, instead of
> installing these only when systemd USE flag is set and adding openrc
> USE flag for the systemd users folks.
>

FWIW those decisions largely predate me, or at least my position on
the Council.  They're still decisions I support for a few reasons,
which I'll outline because I think they add value:

1.  Most of this concerns text files, such as systemd units or init.d
scripts.  Their installation doesn't have much practical impact on the
operation of a system which doesn't use them, and having them around
makes it easier for users to switch implementations either way without
reinstalling half of their system.  These are maskable in any case
fairly trivially.

2.  I've also seen concerns when upstream renames paths to systemd-*
for things that used to be stored someplace else.  While I know the
name tends to concern people, I think that it is beneficial to stick
to upstream paths because it doesn't add value to depart from them.
One of the things I like about Gentoo is that we follow upstream
closely, which means that if you use openrc you have init.d scripts
written for openrc and not LSB, and if you use systemd you have
systemd units and not wrappers around LSB.

I think these are both compelling reasons to maintain the current
policy, even if many don't like the direction upstream is going in the
case of systemd.  As is the case with eudev if upstream ticks off too
many people it can be forked.

> It may in future that udev will completely relay on systemd and we
> left with eudev as the only choice for non systemd-eco system, it is
> better to start building this eco-system now, make sure we have a
> working solution at any given point in time.

I think you'll find that the eudev maintainers have largely created
that eco-system already, though others can judge how well they did.
This is really just about changing a default, and will not on its own
make the eudev experience any better or worse, or more supported or
less supported.  Largely that is going to be the result of decisions
made by many upstream communities, and whether those who want to have
strong eudev support in Gentoo help deal with any issues that arise.

-- 
Rich