On Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:59:44 +0100, Fabian Groffen <grob...@gentoo.org> wrote: > With the current route where EAPI=3 will simply be EAPI=2 + > offset-prefix support, and EAPI=4 will be EAPI=3 + some other stuff, the > following question arose: > > Should an ebuild using an EAPI that has offset-prefix support make the > use of that support mandatory or optional?
As a Gentoo Linux developer, I certainly wouldn't want to say that my EAPI-3+ ebuilds are guaranteed to work on Gentoo Prefix platforms without testing(keywording) it. As a Gentoo Prefix user, I certainly wouldn't want devs that don't know how to test an ebuild to work on Gentoo Prefix to say that it works. As a Gentoo Prefix developer, I certainly don't want to fix bugs by people that don't know how test on (or have access to) Gentoo Prefix. In the end, every Gentoo Prefix arch needs a specific keyword anyway. Unless that changes, I can't say that I see many benefits to making offset-prefix support mandatory in EAPI-3. OTOH, if it is mandatory and I screw it up for Gentoo Prefix platforms, no one will know until it gets keyworded (and hence tested). -Jeremy > In other words, one can perfectly fine write an ebuild EAPI=3 that will > not work in an offset-prefix install, due to improper absence of EPREFIX, > ED and EROOT. Should we allow this formally, or not? > > Why is this a problem? Simply because it can be done, but more because > EAPI=4 will introduce features a developer would like to use/rely on, > while she/he does not want, or is not able to write the ebuild in a > Prefix conforming way. > > The pros for forcing ebuilds to be offset-prefix aware are: > - an ebuild having EAPI >= 3 (as it looks now) is supposed to work > for Prefix users > - hence also obviously is (supposed to be) checked for Prefix > - repoman might be able to check for obvious mistakes regarding > offset-prefix installations > > The cons: > - all developers need to be aware of how Prefix works, and be able to > write ebuilds for it (I can post all the answers to the Prefix quiz) > - basically requires a Prefix to be setup to test > - it will stop developers to some degree to use higher EAPIs in the > worst case > > The pros for allowing ebuilds that have an offset-prefix aware EAPI to > ignore the offset-prefix are: > - easy drop-in replacement for devs, basically the contra of all the > cons of the previous approach. > > The cons: > - not immediately clear which ebuild is offset-prefix aware (could look > at Prefix keywords) > - needs proper rules; an ebuild that has offset-prefix support may not > have this support removed again (breaks Prefix users, how to enforce?) > - ebuilds may get offset-prefix support at a later stage, which may not > entirely be understood/noticed by (their maintaining) devs > > Please voice your opinion and share your insights, if any.
