On Mon, Aug 21, 2006 at 06:20:36PM +0100, Penguin Lover Neil Bothwick squawked: > > Ah, thanks for the clarification. But wouldn't changing the USE > > variables change (pull in) dependencies and linked libraries? Or am I > > misunderstanding what is meant by installed code? > > It looks like in this case, they are removing USE flags that are now > redundant, which wouldn't change the code. Adding compile features > certainly would.
I see. Just a thought: the addition of USE flags allow the setting of optional dependencies or compile time options. So if a USE flag is added, and the user is unaware of such, it might cause some problem or inconveniences cough*eds*cough. If a USE flag is removed, presumeably it is because 1) The *optional* stuff it used to specify is no longer optional. 2) The flag is replaced by another of a different name or more specific distinction (qt by qt3/4). In either case, it wouldn't really bite the user per se (case 2 being taken care of by portage letting us know when new flags are available). As far as I can see, the only downside to removed USE flags is the cruft it sometimes generates. (This is not to say I won't welcome the new feature being proposed, I am just thinking out loud here.) Is there anything I missed? Perhaps an important reason why removed USE flags would be undesireable in make.conf or package.use? W -- Tussman's Law: Nothing is as inevitable as a mistake whose time has come. Sortir en Pantoufles: up 1 day, 22:37 -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
