[gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Stroller]

Anyone see what I'm doing wrong here, please?

I can't seem to get mplayer to accept the dvdnav USE flag, which is  
always (-bracketed) out when I pretend to emerge it:


$ grep dvdnav /etc/portage/package.use
media-video/mplayer dvd enca encode gif iconv jpeg live lzo mad mmx  
mp2 mp3 musepack nemesi png pnm quicktime rar samba srt sse sse2  
theora truetype unicode vorbis win32codecs x264 xanim xvid zoran doc  
dvdnav
$ emerge -pv mplayer

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
[ebuild     U ] media-video/mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 [1.0_rc2_p27725- 
r1] USE="a52 aac alsa ass%* doc dvd enca encode gif iconv jpeg live  
lzo mad md5sum mmx mp2 mp3 musepack nemesi png pnm quicktime rar samba  
sse sse2 svga theora truetype unicode vidix vorbis win32codecs x264  
xanim xv xvid zoran -3dnow -3dnowext -X -aalib (-altivec) -amrnb - 
amrwb -arts -bidi -bindist -bl -cddb -cdio -cdparanoia -cpudetection - 
custom-cflags -custom-cpuopts -debug -dga -dirac -directfb -dts -dv - 
dvb (-dvdnav) -dxr3 -esd -fbcon -ftp -ggi -gtk -ipv6 -jack -joystick - 
ladspa -libcaca -lirc -mmxext -mng% -nas -openal -opengl -oss - 
pulseaudio -pvr -radio (-real) -rtc -schroedinger -sdl -speex -ssse3 - 
teletext -tga -v4l -v4l2 -xinerama -xscreensaver -xvmc (-srt%*)"  
VIDEO_CARDS="vesa -mga -s3virge -tdfx" 7,918 kB

Total: 1 package (1 upgrade), Size of downloads: 7,918 kB



Yet the ebuild seems to say:
	dvdnav? ( >=media-libs/libdvdnav-4.1.3
		>=media-libs/libdvdread-4.1.3 )
...
	if use dvdnav; then
		myconf="${myconf} --with-dvdread-config=/usr/bin/dvdread-config \
			--with-dvdnav-config=/usr/bin/dvdnav-config \
			--disable-dvdread-internal"
	elif ! use dvd && ! use dvdread; then
		myconf="${myconf} --disable-dvdnav --disable-dvdread"
		use a52 || myconf="${myconf} --disable-liba52 \


I think I have emerged the appropriate versions of libdvdnav &  
libdvdread:

$ eix -I -c libdvd
[I] media-libs/libdvdcss (1.2.9-r1(1.2)@10/10/08): A portable  
abstraction library for DVD decryption
[I] media-libs/libdvdnav (4.1.3@12/20/08): Library for DVD navigation  
tools
[I] media-libs/libdvdplay (1.0.1@07/07/07): A simple library designed  
for DVD-menu navigation
[I] media-libs/libdvdread (4.1.3-r1@12/19/08): Library for DVD  
navigation tools
Found 4 matches.
$


This is a mostly x86 system, with only a handful of packages manually  
keyworded or unmasked.

Cheers,

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Willie Wong]

On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 02:16:09AM +0000, Penguin Lover Stroller squawked:
> Anyone see what I'm doing wrong here, please?

Yes. See below. 

> I can't seem to get mplayer to accept the dvdnav USE flag, which is always 
> (-bracketed) out when I pretend to emerge it:

<snip>
>
> Yet the ebuild seems to say:
> 	dvdnav? ( >=media-libs/libdvdnav-4.1.3
> 		>=media-libs/libdvdread-4.1.3 )
> ...
> 	if use dvdnav; then
> 		myconf="${myconf} --with-dvdread-config=/usr/bin/dvdread-config \
> 			--with-dvdnav-config=/usr/bin/dvdnav-config \
> 			--disable-dvdread-internal"
> 	elif ! use dvd && ! use dvdread; then
> 		myconf="${myconf} --disable-dvdnav --disable-dvdread"
> 		use a52 || myconf="${myconf} --disable-liba52 \
>
>
> I think I have emerged the appropriate versions of libdvdnav & libdvdread:
>
> $ eix -I -c libdvd
> [I] media-libs/libdvdcss (1.2.9-r1(1.2)@10/10/08): A portable abstraction 
> library for DVD decryption
> [I] media-libs/libdvdnav (4.1.3@12/20/08): Library for DVD navigation tools
> [I] media-libs/libdvdplay (1.0.1@07/07/07): A simple library designed for 
> DVD-menu navigation
> [I] media-libs/libdvdread (4.1.3-r1@12/19/08): Library for DVD navigation 
> tools
> Found 4 matches.
> $
>
>
> This is a mostly x86 system, with only a handful of packages manually 
> keyworded or unmasked.

libdvdnav-4.1.3 is keyworded ~x86, while mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 is
keyworded x86. The USE cannot be satisfied. See
/usr/portage/profiles/base/package.use.mask, somewhere near the
bottom, there is a bit about dvdnav being masked. I think you can try
use unmasking the flag: add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask

media-video/mplayer -dvdnav

should do the trick.

W

-- 
"Getting the midterms back tomorrow is going to be a slaughterhouse."
"No. The exam was the slaughterhouse."
"Then tomorrow is just the meat packing."
~DeathMech, Some Student. P-town PHY 205
Sortir en Pantoufles: up 743 days,  2:19

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Arttu V.]

On 12/20/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
> I think you can try use unmasking the flag:
> add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask

It's profiles related stuff, so I think
/etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask will be the right place. At
least if one trusts portage's man page.

-- 
Arttu V.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Willie Wong]

On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 06:34:56AM +0200, Penguin Lover Arttu V. squawked:
> On 12/20/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
> > I think you can try use unmasking the flag:
> > add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask
> 
> It's profiles related stuff, so I think
> /etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask will be the right place. At
> least if one trusts portage's man page.
> 

Ah yes, you are absolutely right. My mistake there. Three words
beginning with 'p' and I left one out. Thank you for the correction.

W
-- 
All of my friends and I are crazy. That's the only thing that keeps us sane.
Sortir en Pantoufles: up 743 days,  5:04

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Stroller]

On 20 Dec 2008, at 03:46, Willie Wong wrote:
>> ...
>> Yet the ebuild seems to say:
>> 	dvdnav? ( >=media-libs/libdvdnav-4.1.3
>> 		>=media-libs/libdvdread-4.1.3 )
>> ...
>>
>> I think I have emerged the appropriate versions of libdvdnav &  
>> libdvdread:
>>
>> $ eix -I -c libdvd
>> [I] media-libs/libdvdcss (1.2.9-r1(1.2)@10/10/08): A portable  
>> abstraction
>> library for DVD decryption
>> [I] media-libs/libdvdnav (4.1.3@12/20/08): Library for DVD  
>> navigation tools
>> [I] media-libs/libdvdplay (1.0.1@07/07/07): A simple library  
>> designed for
>> DVD-menu navigation
>> [I] media-libs/libdvdread (4.1.3-r1@12/19/08): Library for DVD  
>> navigation
>> tools
>> Found 4 matches.
>> $
>>
>>
>> This is a mostly x86 system, with only a handful of packages manually
>> keyworded or unmasked.
>
> libdvdnav-4.1.3 is keyworded ~x86, while mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 is
> keyworded x86. The USE cannot be satisfied.

I'm really sorry, I don't understand.

I manually keyworded libdvdnav-4.1.3 /etc/portage/package.use to make  
it installable.

It _is already_ installed. Doesn't that mean the USE is already  
satisfied?


> See
> /usr/portage/profiles/base/package.use.mask, somewhere near the
> bottom, there is a bit about dvdnav being masked. I think you can try
> use unmasking the flag: add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask
>
> media-video/mplayer -dvdnav
>
> should do the trick.

I'm finding this a little confusing, having never dabbled this deep in  
masking before.

I can the line you refer to in /usr/portage/profiles/base/ 
package.use.mask, it says:
media-video/mplayer cpudetection custom-cpuopts bindist dvdnav

I assume this means "cpudetection custom-cpuopts bindist dvdnav" are  
"not allowed" and that adding "-dvdnav" to my own mask would override  
that, saying "-dvdnav" is not allowed, or "force dvdnav"?

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Willie Wong]

On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 03:43:05PM +0000, Penguin Lover Stroller squawked:
>> libdvdnav-4.1.3 is keyworded ~x86, while mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 is
>> keyworded x86. The USE cannot be satisfied.
>
> I'm really sorry, I don't understand.

The dvdnav mask was added when the libdvdnav was hardmasked. But in
this case, a similar reasoning applies. Basically: a package in stable
should not depend on a package/package-version that is only available
in testing; and that a package in stable/testing should not depend on
a package that is only available if you manually keyword it. In other
words, if you run a pure x86 system, you should never run into the
problem where you try to emerge something and portage gives you an
error that one of its dependencies cannot be installed because all
packages satisfying that dependency is either hardmasked or keyworded
~x86. 

To use your case as an example: if I run a purely x86 system. If the
dvdnav flag is allowed, then if I try to emerge mplayer, it will try
to install libdvdnav-4.1.3, and it will find that it is ~x86, which is
not allowed on my system unless I manually keyword it. The portage
tree is designed so that there should not be this kind of internal
inconsistencies. 

In other words, if I decided to run a purely x86 system, a USE flag
should not mandate that I keyword some particular packages in testing
in order to install a package that is in stable. 

In general, the error message "The dependency blah/blah cannot be
satisfied" should only appear if you have (1) keyworded a package but
not all its dependencies or (2) a security bug caused an installed
package to be hardmasked (think realcodec). 

> I manually keyworded libdvdnav-4.1.3 /etc/portage/package.use to make it 
> installable.
>
> It _is already_ installed. Doesn't that mean the USE is already satisfied?

No. You are confusing how portage works. The problem is the USE cannot
be satisfied for a pure x86 system. It can only be satisfied for a
mixed or a ~x86 system. On this logic the USE is masked until it can
be satisfied on a pure x86 system. So if libdvdnav goes stable, feel
free to file a bug to remove the dvdnav USE-mask from the x86 profile. 

> I'm finding this a little confusing, having never dabbled this deep in 
> masking before.

Don't blame you. AFAIK this is something not covered in the Gentoo
Handbook. 

> I can the line you refer to in /usr/portage/profiles/base/package.use.mask, 
> it says:
> media-video/mplayer cpudetection custom-cpuopts bindist dvdnav
>
> I assume this means "cpudetection custom-cpuopts bindist dvdnav" are "not 
> allowed" and that adding "-dvdnav" to my own mask would override that, 
> saying "-dvdnav" is not allowed, or "force dvdnav"?

Yeah. I think of it as "removing dvdnav from the mask". Of course,
notice that someone else pointed out my mistake: the file should be
/etc/portage/profile/package.use.mask

HTH, 

W

-- 
A bunch of functions were sitting in a bar. 

Someone ran in and yelled, "the DIFFERENTIAL is coming!" And the
entire bar scattered, except for one.

The differential came in, looked him up and looked him down. The
function replied with contempt: "I am e to the x!"

The differential grinned: "I am d/dy."
Sortir en Pantoufles: up 743 days, 16:38

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Stroller]

On 20 Dec 2008, at 04:34, Arttu V. wrote:

> On 12/20/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
>> I think you can try use unmasking the flag:
>> add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask
>
> It's profiles related stuff, so I think
> /etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask will be the right place. At
> least if one trusts portage's man page.

Apparently one shouldn't:

$ emerge -pv mplayer

These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
[ebuild   R   ] media-video/mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1  USE="a52 aac  
alsa ass doc dvd enca encode gif iconv jpeg live lzo mad md5sum mmx  
mp2 mp3 musepack nemesi png pnm quicktime rar samba sse sse2 svga  
theora truetype unicode vidix vorbis win32codecs x264 xanim xv xvid  
zoran -3dnow -3dnowext -X -aalib (-altivec) -amrnb -amrwb -arts -bidi - 
bindist -bl -cddb -cdio -cdparanoia -cpudetection -custom-cflags - 
custom-cpuopts -debug -dga -dirac -directfb -dts -dv -dvb (-dvdnav) - 
dxr3 -esd -fbcon -ftp -ggi -gtk -ipv6 -jack -joystick -ladspa -libcaca  
-lirc -mmxext -mng -nas -openal -opengl -oss -pulseaudio -pvr -radio (- 
real) -rtc -schroedinger -sdl -speex -ssse3 -teletext -tga -v4l -v4l2 - 
xinerama -xscreensaver -xvmc" VIDEO_CARDS="vesa -mga -s3virge -tdfx" 0  
kB

Total: 1 package (1 reinstall), Size of downloads: 0 kB
$ grep -R dvdnav /etc/portage/*
/etc/portage/package.keywords:# Use mplayer's internal dvdnav
/etc/portage/package.keywords:=media-libs/libdvdnav-4.1.3
/etc/portage/package.unmask:# use mplayer's internal dvdnav
/etc/portage/package.unmask:=media-libs/libdvdnav-4.1.3
/etc/portage/package.use:media-video/mplayer dvd enca encode gif iconv  
jpeg live lzo mad mmx mp2 mp3 musepack nemesi png pnm quicktime rar  
samba srt sse sse2 theora truetype unicode vorbis win32codecs x264  
xanim xvid zoran doc dvdnav
/etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask:media-video/mplayer -dvdnav
$ emerge --version
Portage 2.1.4.5 (default/linux/x86/2008.0, gcc-4.1.2, glibc-2.6.1-r0,  
2.6.25-gentoo-r7 i686)
$

I'm not sure if I'm using a different version of Portage from you (see  
last line above), as I can't find reference to use.mask in  portage's  
man page.

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Willie Wong]

On Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 04:52:54AM +0000, Penguin Lover Stroller squawked:
>
> On 20 Dec 2008, at 04:34, Arttu V. wrote:
>
>> On 12/20/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
>>> I think you can try use unmasking the flag:
>>> add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask
>>
>> It's profiles related stuff, so I think
>> /etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask will be the right place. At
>> least if one trusts portage's man page.

HAHA! Arttu, you also have a typo! ;)

The file should be in 

/etc/portage/profile/package.use.mask

Note that 'profile' is singular, not plural. 

portage's man page can be trusted, but not Arttu's nor my typing
skills. 

Best, 

W

-- 
          Wanted:
      Schrodinger's Cat 
        Dead or Alive
Sortir en Pantoufles: up 745 days,  4:16

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Stroller]

On 22 Dec 2008, at 05:36, Willie Wong wrote:

> On Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 04:52:54AM +0000, Penguin Lover Stroller  
> squawked:
>>
>> On 20 Dec 2008, at 04:34, Arttu V. wrote:
>>
>>> On 12/20/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
>>>> I think you can try use unmasking the flag:
>>>> add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask
>>>
>>> It's profiles related stuff, so I think
>>> /etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask will be the right place. At
>>> least if one trusts portage's man page.
>
> HAHA! Arttu, you also have a typo! ;)
>
> The file should be in
>
> /etc/portage/profile/package.use.mask
>
> Note that 'profile' is singular, not plural.
>
> portage's man page can be trusted, but not Arttu's nor my typing
> skills.

That's great! Thanks!

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Daniel Pielmeier]

2008/12/22 Stroller <stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk>:
>
> On 22 Dec 2008, at 05:36, Willie Wong wrote:
>
>> On Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 04:52:54AM +0000, Penguin Lover Stroller squawked:
>>>
>>> On 20 Dec 2008, at 04:34, Arttu V. wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 12/20/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I think you can try use unmasking the flag:
>>>>> add a line to /etc/portage/package.use.mask
>>>>
>>>> It's profiles related stuff, so I think
>>>> /etc/portage/profiles/package.use.mask will be the right place. At
>>>> least if one trusts portage's man page.
>>
>> HAHA! Arttu, you also have a typo! ;)
>>
>> The file should be in
>>
>> /etc/portage/profile/package.use.mask
>>
>> Note that 'profile' is singular, not plural.
>>
>> portage's man page can be trusted, but not Arttu's nor my typing
>> skills.
>
> That's great! Thanks!
>
> Stroller.
>
>
>

The problem was that the dvdnav USE-flag was masked and you unmasked
the mplayer and dvdnav packages in the first place. This did not
affect the mplayer package that was built without dvdnav support as
the flag was still deactivated. Here [1] is some information from the
maintainer of mplayer.

[1] http://wonkabar.org/archives/546

-- 
Regards,
Daniel

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Stroller]

On 22 Dec 2008, at 11:33, Daniel Pielmeier wrote:
> ...
> The problem was that the dvdnav USE-flag was masked and you unmasked
> the mplayer and dvdnav packages in the first place. This did not
> affect the mplayer package that was built without dvdnav support as
> the flag was still deactivated. Here [1] is some information from the
> maintainer of mplayer.

Yes, although I did understand this already. With apologies to Mr Wong  
I find your explanation much clearer than his.

I would prefer it if Portage handled this without USE flag masking  
being necessary. If the required package is masked, or needs some  
other keyword, then IMO `emerge -p mplayer` should simply give an  
"unable to fulfil this USE - packages may be masked or keyworded"  
error. IMO `emerge mplayer` should simply install the package without  
fulfilling the USE. But clearly there are reasons why this is  
impractical.

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Alan McKinnon]

On Monday 22 December 2008 15:43:24 Stroller wrote:
> On 22 Dec 2008, at 11:33, Daniel Pielmeier wrote:
> > ...
> > The problem was that the dvdnav USE-flag was masked and you unmasked
> > the mplayer and dvdnav packages in the first place. This did not
> > affect the mplayer package that was built without dvdnav support as
> > the flag was still deactivated. Here [1] is some information from the
> > maintainer of mplayer.
>
> Yes, although I did understand this already. With apologies to Mr Wong
> I find your explanation much clearer than his.
>
> I would prefer it if Portage handled this without USE flag masking
> being necessary. If the required package is masked, or needs some
> other keyword, then IMO `emerge -p mplayer` should simply give an
> "unable to fulfil this USE - packages may be masked or keyworded"
> error. IMO `emerge mplayer` should simply install the package without
> fulfilling the USE. But clearly there are reasons why this is
> impractical.

Not so much impractical, more like it's a very bad idea. Portage runs on unix 
systems. Of all the basic fundamental ways unix has of going about things, 
this one should never be broken:

The machine will do what the admin said it must do. It will do no more and no 
less.

An active USE means that the admin wants packages built with that support. The 
admin's wishes are very explicit in this regard, there is nothing implied 
about it. So if the USE cannot be fulfilled, the only appropriate answer 
is "I'm sorry, I cannot do that" and end with an error code.


-- 
alan dot mckinnon at gmail dot com

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Stroller]

On 22 Dec 2008, at 17:51, Alan McKinnon wrote:
>> ...
>> I would prefer it if Portage handled this without USE flag masking
>> being necessary. If the required package is masked, or needs some
>> other keyword, then IMO `emerge -p mplayer` should simply give an
>> "unable to fulfil this USE - packages may be masked or keyworded"
>> error. IMO `emerge mplayer` should simply install the package without
>> fulfilling the USE. But clearly there are reasons why this is
>> impractical.
>
> ...
> The machine will do what the admin said it must do. It will do no  
> more and no
> less.
>
> An active USE means that the admin wants packages built with that  
> support. The
> admin's wishes are very explicit in this regard, there is nothing  
> implied
> about it. So if the USE cannot be fulfilled, the only appropriate  
> answer
> is "I'm sorry, I cannot do that" and end with an error code.


But the masking tells Portage to ignore what the admin says, anyway.  
So what's the difference?

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Arttu V.]

On 12/22/08, Willie Wong <wwong@princeton.edu> wrote:
> HAHA! Arttu, you also have a typo! ;)
>
> The file should be in
>
> /etc/portage/profile/package.use.mask
>
> Note that 'profile' is singular, not plural.

Sorry, must've been the fever and cold I've been having for the last
couple of days. But true, fever or no fever, always check my typing,
someone off the Intertubes might offer you some clever equivalent of
"rm -rf /"! :D

One thing to remember is that portage devs are probably ingenious and
lazy (in the positive sense), so they probably do things in a similar
way under /usr/portage and /etc/portage. This gives hints of the
correct paths and file names, maybe even the syntaxes (although in
this case the -dvdnav was a bit unexpected and illogical IMHO).

Of course, /usr/portage has those different sub-directories for, e.g.,
base and many different platforms, but you can keep /etc/portage
"flat". Or this is just my deduction after running Gentoo for 5-6
years, I haven't actually touched the python code much and probably
not pushed the configurations too far either.

I'm very happy if someone points out a "typo" in my logic here -- I'm
sure a little embarrassment early on will save plenty of my time in
the future! :D

-- 
Arttu V.

Re: [gentoo-user] mplayer-1.0_rc2_p28058-r1 & USE dvdnav

[Alan McKinnon]

On Tuesday 23 December 2008 00:07:40 Stroller wrote:
> On 22 Dec 2008, at 17:51, Alan McKinnon wrote:
> >> ...
> >> I would prefer it if Portage handled this without USE flag masking
> >> being necessary. If the required package is masked, or needs some
> >> other keyword, then IMO `emerge -p mplayer` should simply give an
> >> "unable to fulfil this USE - packages may be masked or keyworded"
> >> error. IMO `emerge mplayer` should simply install the package without
> >> fulfilling the USE. But clearly there are reasons why this is
> >> impractical.
> >
> > ...
> > The machine will do what the admin said it must do. It will do no
> > more and no
> > less.
> >
> > An active USE means that the admin wants packages built with that
> > support. The
> > admin's wishes are very explicit in this regard, there is nothing
> > implied
> > about it. So if the USE cannot be fulfilled, the only appropriate
> > answer
> > is "I'm sorry, I cannot do that" and end with an error code.
>
> But the masking tells Portage to ignore what the admin says, anyway.
> So what's the difference?

The difference is that when the flag is masked, some dev has determined that 
the flag cannot work so will not be used by default. That's OK, a human has 
directed that it be so and the software did not try and make a decision - it 
just followed instructions. If YOU unmask a masked item, that means that you 
want it done anyway and the software should comply.

Some cases are obviously impossible to fulfil - such as installing proprietary 
nvidia video drivers on a ppc machine. The driver doesn't exist so it would 
be valid in that case to always fail despite what the admin says.

The thread is more about the case where the devs said one thing, the admin 
asked for another thing, something needs to be unmasked to fulfil the 
instructions and the software decided "stuff it, I'm just going to go right 
ahead and merge it anyway with the support I was explicitly asked to 
provide". That proposal is ludicrous and completely counter to the Unix way 
of doing things.

-- 
alan dot mckinnon at gmail dot com>
> Stroller.