Re: [gentoo-dev] GTK und GTK2 Use Flag

[Brian Harring]

On Tue, Mar 29, 2005 at 10:49:00PM +0200, Spider wrote:
> On Tue, 2005-03-29 at 12:15 +0200, Fabian Zeindl wrote:
> > Hello
> >
> > There was a discussion on the gentoo-user-de list about this two
> > Useflags: gtk and gtk2. Because not everybody is sure what the mean, so
> > if you have -gtk +gtk2 some think that gtk2 should be installed and soon.
> >
> > Wouldn't it be better if "gtk" meaned that the newest available gtk
> > version ist installed (gtk1 or gtk2) and a flag like oldgtk take the
> > older version gtk1.
> >
> > Another question which occured: Is there a performancedrawback if a
> > program is compile with gtk1 AND gtk2 build in? Does this happen when
> > someone installs with +gtk +gtk2?
>
>
> Common misconception, it tends to crop up once every 6 months or so
> since I ever was foolish enough not to stomp a hard policy and beat the
> people who want gtk+-1.2 support with a sledgehammer.
while I'm certainly not advocating that the user is always 
right... user requirements/desires for the tree should be reflected, 
not have mandates handed down.  (realize you didn't quite mean it that 
way, but it plays into my point so I took a shot at it :)

> If someone can suggest a better formulation for this, please go ahead.
Start the process of adjusting ebuilds so that the use flags reflect 
what everybody thinks they should.

I've seen countless users (despite use.desc) flip on *just* gtk2, 
because they want *just* gtk v2 support linked in if available.

> Lets face it,  gtk+-1.2 is _deprecated_ and all packages that use it
> should either be taken out and shot in the head, ( for mercy's sake,
> that and utf8 )    or updated to track the new and maintained library
> API.
> We all know this isn't feasible, most projects are just recently wiping
> stale code for interfaces ( Hi mozilla! )  and as such, the mistake is
> left to stay.
>
> -Changing-  existing logic is -not- going to solve this solution
> cleanly.   We suggested to remove the gtk2 flag,  (make it default) and
> implement :
> USE="shoot-me-in-the-head-with-deprecated-libraries-please"   instead,
> however people considered it as offending our users for some reason.
How is this any different (aside from naming) gtk1 vs gtk2?  

Only actual difference I see is sticking 'deprecated' or something equivalent 
into the use flag name, and mandating the default gtk+- version that 
is used, rather then just exposing the options via use flags, and 
letting users decide for themselves.

Aside from that, as I stated in another email, such an approach is 
going to bite you in the ass on the next major gtk release, 
wash rinse repeat (lesson learned being?)
~brian