Re: [gentoo-dev] [IMPORTANT] server/client USE flags

[Marius Mauch <genone@gentoo.org>]

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On 11/03/03  Donny Davies wrote:

> Hi Marius
> 
> On Tue, Nov 04, 2003 at 12:20:17AM +0100, Marius Mauch wrote:
> [...]
> >So my idea (as well as others) is to add a new "server" USE flag that
> >controls wether the server part of a package is build. This idea is
> >outlined in more details on bug 12499, which also had the idea of a
> >"client" USE flag, so that it's possible to only build the libs or
> >only the server, however I think that such a flag will create more
> >problems than benefits (see the bug for explanations).
> 
> I do not support this.  Debian's SAMBA has at least subpackages for
> - common
> - doc
> - smbclient
> - winbind
> - swat
> - smbfs
> - python
> - pam
> 
> which is nuts.  Users dont know what to install to get what they need.

That's why I'm against package splits.

> I recall looking at mod_php (or maybe it was php) subpackages for
> another distribution, and there were _dozens_ of them.  Insane in the
> membrane.

First I don't see how mod_php would be affected by this and second I
think the 30something USE flags for mod_php can be confusing, too
(alhough half of the problems just are the usual "why do I need X for
php" problem).

> I like the way Gentoo traditionally works; you emerge something and
> you get it all, with some knobs to control build-time dependencies.
> 
> Further, you are overloading the intended function of USE variables.
> Instead of controlling optional build-time functionality, now you
> are abusing them to control optional install-time bits.

If we add the "server" flag to the default flags it will still install
everything by default, if not we just have to make a big announcement
(like Troy said).
I don't see how I would abuse USE flags, often server support is just an
option for a configure script. And many of the local USE flags don't
follow this rule as well (btw, where can I read about this rule ?).

> It is not natural to stop at "client" and "server" flags either.
> What about "dev" for .a and .h things?  This is really going down
> the slipperly slope in my opinion.

Maybe it's not natural to stop there (btw, I'm only for a "server" flag,
not for a "client" flag), but it's reasonable. To make the "dev" stuff
optional doesn't make much sense for Gentoo as dependencies usually need
them, but usually there aren't dependencies on the server part of
something.

Marius

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