On Sun, Nov 22, 2020 at 2:57 AM Eli Schwartz via arch-dev-public <arch-dev-public@archlinux.org> wrote: > As I mentioned there, I don't really see the need to make a split > package just for 25kb of optional scripts that can just use optdepends. > > "I tendo o lean towards a separate package instead of using optdepends > as it is more explicit and you do not end up with partly invalid package." > > Do you then propose Arch should switch policies and start using split > packages everywhere instead of our usual optdepends? Not sure what to > think here. This feels inconsistent.
First of all, I think using split packages and optdependes are both reasonable solutions. Splitting a package can be used to either reduce sizes of individual packages or to reduce dependencies. The latter can be achieved by optdependes as well. My personal rule of thumb here would be: If a program cannot work without a given dependent it should not be optional. In contrast if you have software that e.g. is able to use several databases for storage but falls back to sqlite one could declare mysql, postgres etc. as optional as long as the program is usable without them. Either way, I would call both solutions to be correct. Greetings, Pierre
