Re: [gentoo-user] Giving Gentoo Another Go

[Alan McKinnon]

On 18/03/2016 17:29, Stroller wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 18 March 2016, at 6:07 am, Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@×××××.com> wrote:
>>
>> …
>> USE flags enable and disable features of software at compile-time. Take
>> for example a music player. Maybe it can store the metadata about your
>> music in flat files, in sqlite, in mysql or postgres. Now you must make
>> a choice where to put the flag. Maybe your music collection is HUGE and
>> postgres is the best fit.
>>
>> If you add it to make.conf it becomes global and every piece of software
>> that supports postgres will now be rebuilt to give postgres support.
>> Maybe you don't need or want that.
>>
>> A flag like that is best put into package.use where it applies only to
>> the package you list there. So postgres gets installed, the music player
>> gets support and your MTA does not.
>
> To expand on this example, if `emerge -p` showed your music player had flags for mp3, mp4 and aac files, I would probably set those in /etc/make.conf, because I want all music and video players and converters to support these common file types.


Good point. This is where judgement comes in - what can probably go in
make.conf and what will be better in package.use.

I normally put general things like a/v codecs and hardware features
make.conf as I'm very likely into want it everywhere. If I use handbrake
to make mkv and mp4 rips, then I probably want mplayer, dragon, vlc and
all the other players to play them. Makes sense.

Then there's that other thread today that mentioned wayland. Some bit of
KDE must have it but you certainly don't want it global.

So a judgement call; which quite incidentally is the thing we sysadmins
get paid to have :-)


-- 
Alan McKinnon
alan.mckinnon@×××××.com