Donny Davies wrote: > Hi Marius > > On Tue, Nov 04, 2003 at 12:20:17AM +0100, Marius Mauch wrote: > [...] > >So my idea (as well as others) is to add a new "server" USE flag that > >controls wether the server part of a package is build. This idea is > >outlined in more details on bug 12499, which also had the idea of a > >"client" USE flag, so that it's possible to only build the libs or only > >the server, however I think that such a flag will create more problems > >than benefits (see the bug for explanations). > > I do not support this. Debian's SAMBA has at least subpackages for > - common > - doc > - smbclient > - winbind > - swat > - smbfs > - python > - pam > > which is nuts. Users dont know what to install to get what they need.
Absolutely agreed -- I hate the Debian-way too! > I recall looking at mod_php (or maybe it was php) subpackages for another > distribution, and there were _dozens_ of them. Insane in the membrane. > > I like the way Gentoo traditionally works; you emerge something and you > get it all, with some knobs to control build-time dependencies. I share this opinion -- if a freak really doesn't like the server/client parts of a package he should be cute enough to wipe it out manually. But a newbie who just wants Samba/MySQL to be installed will probably trial-and-error for hours until he finds out that certain parts of the package he wanted are distributed in other packages. > Further, you are overloading the intended function of USE variables. > Instead of controlling optional build-time functionality, now you > are abusing them to control optional install-time bits. Absolutely right ... > It is not natural to stop at "client" and "server" flags either. > What about "dev" for .a and .h things? This is really going down > the slipperly slope in my opinion. Leave it as it is -- Do it the Gentoo way AND NOT the Debian/SuSE way! greetz, haaner
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