[gentoo-dev] Re: Review: news item and script for CPU_FLAGS_X86

[Duncan]

Michał Górny posted on Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:40:17 +0100 as excerpted:

> Display-If-Keyword: amd64 ~amd64 x86 ~x86
>
> The USE flags corresponding to intruction sets and other features
> specific to the x86 architecture are being moved into a separate USE
> flag group called CPU_FLAGS_X86.

So based on this preliminary news item, I decided to get ahead of the 
game and add the use_expand to the appropriate make.conf sourced file...

... and IMMEDIATELY ran into this:

CPU_FLAGS_X86 ??  I'm ~amd64, do I leave it as-is, change it to 
CPU_FLAGS_X86_64 (kernel style), or change it to CPU_FLAGS_AMD64 (gentoo 
style)?

Knowing what I know about gentoo's use of use_expand, I'm almost certain 
I leave it as-is: CPU_FLAGS_X86 .  But if it's triggering the slightest 
doubt and hesitation here, and it is, it's certain to be a rather larger 
source of confusion to many.  So...

Please update the news item to specify that yes, it's _X86 for amd64 
users as well (assuming my near-certainty above is correct, else make 
explicit whatever actually applies).

Here's a second-draft pass at more explicit wording (also corrects a 
typo, "intruction", that spell-check flagged when I select-pasted):

The USE flags corresponding to instruction sets and other features
specific to the x86 (and amd64) architecture are being moved into a 
separate USE flag group called CPU_FLAGS_X86.  (Because amd64 is an 
extension of x86, amd64 users use the same group, CPU_FLAGS_X86.)


Additionally, unless the change is going to be atomic across the tree, 
including existing stable packages /and/ the news item at exactly the 
same time, I'd suggest an additional paragraph in the news item, 
suggesting keeping the existing USE flags for some period (the 
traditional 1-year supported update time period?) as well.  First-draft 
wording (please suggest updates, I'm not entirely comfortable with this 
but it suffices for first-draft):

In ordered to cover the transition period, you may wish to keep existing 
copies of any USE flags transfered to CPU_FLAGS_X86 for a suggested 
period of one year, or until you've merged updates with the new 
use_expand form of all affected packages, after which you can remove the 
old form from your normal USE.


Thanks.  The extra work that this whole change entails is appreciated! 
=:^)

-- 
Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman