Re[2]: [gentoo-dev] punting the use.defaults feature

[Jakub Moc]

18.11.2005, 16:43:12, Mike Frysinger wrote:

> i see no reason to keep use.defaults around anymore, i think the rest of our
> config/profile system covers for it adequately and in a manner that doesnt
> confused people

Also, IIRC, saner alternatives have been suggested, like IUSE="+bleh" to enable
a use flag by default on a per-ebuild basis; use.defaults is something well
hidden from users, and USE flags automagically appearing/disappering after
emerge sync/installing an ebuild cause a lot of confusion.

>> - why has a mass of things been commited in there recently

> because they belong there

and break things/confuse people? What exactly is the benefit from this? Sorry,
I've apparently missed something, since I can't see much sense in committing
something just because it "belongs there"... Did not notice any call for adding
all that stuff either; actually - it's been done after someone requested to
remove one particular thing from use.defaults.

>> - confusing users

> the file has always confused people, whether they be user or dev

One more reason to get rid of it... :)

>> - rendering /etc/portage/package.keywords useless (install a dep for one
>> particular ebuild and enjoy the USE flag enabled globally)

> unrelated

Well, I don't think so... If I want to enable a feature for one specific ebuild
and a USE flag in /etc/portage/package.use pulls in a dep, that in turn enables
that use flag globally, it's obviously not what I intended and forces me to add
yet another -flag into make.conf

>> - causing unwanted results (I did not really install app-text/recode for the
>> purpose of enabling USE=recode globally and make it clash with half of php USE
>> flags e.g.)
>> - causing pointless breakage/bailing out in current ebuilds for users that have
>> not touched USE flags on their system at all

> you're confusing "feature" with "bug" ;)

I actually consider this feature to be a bug... :=)


--
jakub