[gentoo-portage-dev] Improved user information and communication

[Daniel Stiefelmaier <mail@stiefelweb.de>]

Hi!

I'd like to introduce two ideas i had to improve portage.

sometimes i'd like to know something more about a package before i 
emerge it.

1. release notes. (for the ebuild, not the application)
as a release notes file exists, a parameter could be used to show the 
most recent entry.
maybe this fits "eix" better than "emerge"
2. advanced package info
most important here is an explanation of the available use flags. i know 
there is a list of most flags (http://www.gentoo.org/dyn/use-index.xml) 
but it is incomplete and doesnt explain some flags well. some have 
different behaviour in different packages.
some flags are self-explanatory, but some are not. for example, the 
"xprint" comment should say, that this is not necessary to print, and 
under what circumstances it is needed.

also, the advanced could provide
- links to howto's (like configuring apache)
- list packages that are of use for this (plugins or utilized apps like 
cervisia that integrates in quanta plus)
- tell how to contact the ebuild maintainer

that led my to another idea: a wiki for all ebuilds in portage.
all the information could then be in the wiki, and eix/emerge just print 
the wiki-link.
i'd suggest mediawiki, as it has a discussion page attached.
maybe the wiki itself can only be changed by developers, and feedback is 
given on the discussion page.

just some ideas, maybe needing some development, i hope you find them 
useful. :)

greets, Caliga


-- 
gentoo-portage-dev@gentoo.org mailing list