[gentoo-dev] package.mask

[Eric Thibeault Jolin <irise-lenoir@sympatico.ca>]

Portage works like a charm, but it is a chore to use package.masked 
stuff and update often.
I want a /etc/package.mask file that doesn't get modified by portage and 
overrides /usr/portage/profile/package.mask. I also want the ability to 
write something like "! >=gnome-base/gnome-2.0.0_beta5" to force 
unmasking a package. But user masking will be nice too, like to force 
not installing jdk 1.4 on "emerge--update world" or to "remove nautilus 
from gnome-base", at least in effect. When I said portage shouldn't 
tamper with it, a possible exception might be when a package forced 
unmasked in /etc is permanently removed from 
/usr/portage/profile/package.mask, it might be good to remove it from 
/etc/package.mask (respecting config protection, of course).

On the other point of view, a /etc/package.protect file might be useful 
to manually protect a package or version of package from being removed 
by "emerge clean".

As I said, it already works wonders, but these small changes and it will 
be perfect! Okay, maybe not... almost perfect.