Re: [gentoo-dev] [PATCH] app-portage/eclass-manpages: @DEFAULT_UNSET -> @DEFAULT-UNSET

[Kent Fredric <kentnl@gentoo.org>]

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On Fri, 28 Apr 2017 16:39:45 +0200
Michał Górny <mgorny@gentoo.org> wrote:

> Change the unset value tag to '@DEFAULT-UNSET' to ensure consistent
> use of hyphen/underscore throughout eclassdoc. Before, one tag
> (@ECLASS-VARIABLE) has used hyphen while also one (@DEFAULT_UNSET)
> used underscore. Unify them to use the former since @ECLASS-VARIABLE
> tag is more common (and hyphens do not require holding shift).
> 
> Fixing all existing uses is perfectly within our power; however, I
> think it would be reasonable to delay it and combine with other
> eclass changes to avoid unnecessary cache regen. The script still
> allows the old tag name for compatibility.

I have a counter suggestion:

1. Leave @ECLASS-VARIABLE as-is
2. Leave @DEFAULT_UNSET as is
3. Document that underscores are to be used for all new tags
4. Add support for @ECLASS_VARIABLE that works the same as
   @ECLASS-VARIABLE
5. Don't go out of our way to migrate to @ECLASS_VARIABLE, just let it
   occur over time, particularly in conjunction with other major
   changes.

Mostly because @FOO_VARIABLE is suspiciously similar syntax to me as
other ALL CAPS variables used as ENV tokens in Bash.

And I can't think of a single instance where I've seen a language with
a convention that used ALL CAPS terms in conjunctions with hyphens,
( and regex with _ are ultimately simpler to reason about than ones
with - )


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