[gentoo-dev] Best practices for package.mask removals

[Ryan Hill]

Remi (or rane.. or some other r- dev ;])  was asking a couple days ago how to
write a package.mask entry for removals so the script picks it up.  Actually
there is no script (just me), and there's no real rules.  but I thought I'd
mention a couple things that would make life easier.

In your package.mask entry, it would help to have the following info:

a) reason for masking
b) bug # for the removal (and yes you should have one)
c) date of removal (either the date or just "in x days" is fine)
d) the word "removal" :P

(Eventually I'll write a dumb little util to automate filling these in but for
now I'm really really lazy.)


Bad:

# Dev Elepor <noname@g.o> (25 Jan 2008)
# Broken
app-misc/some-package

# Dev Elepor <noname@g.o> (25 Jan 2008)
# Masked for security bug #999999
app-misc/some-package


Better:

# Dev Elepor <noname@g.o> (25 Jan 2008)
# Masked for removal
app-misc/some-package


Best:

# Dev Elepor <noname@g.o> (25 Jan 2008)
# Masked for removal in 30 days.  Doesn't work
# with new libfoo. Upstream dead, gtk-1, smells
# funny. (bug #987654)
app-misc/some-package


This just saves me scouring bugzilla and the mailing lists for these packages 
looking for more info.

Thanks!


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