Hi,
I think these options have been named:
1. Don't change tar at all. Somebody creates a (sufficiently) command line
compatible, mult-threaded bzip2 alternative out of lbzip2 (for example).
Through the alternatives system, tar will access whichever implementation
is configured under the name "bzip2".
2. Add a ./configure --with-bzip2-filter compile-time switch to tar. The
selected utility only needs to support a filter (--use) interface. Debian
would add a new symlink, /usr/bin/bzip2-filter, which would lead, through
the alternatives system, to /bin/bzip2 or for example to /usr/bin/lbzip2.
2a. Modify upstream tar.
2b. Maintain this patch as part of the Debian packaging of tar.
3. Add runtime bzip2-filter selection to tar (TAR_OPTIONS).
3a. Modify upstream tar.
3b. Maintain this patch as part of the Debian packaging of tar.
What I believe to be the preferences:
Aníbal: ?
Bdale: 2a, 3a
Karl: 1, 2b/3b
lacos: 3a, 2a, 3b, 2b, 1
Paul: 3a, 3b
Sergey: 1, 2b/3b, 2a, 3a
Even if lbzip2 was command line compatible with bzip2, imagining a user
issuing "bzip2" but actually executing lbzip2 scares me somehow.
Bdale, I would be happy to help maintaining a tar patch of your choice in
the Debian packaging. (Preferably the one I wrote, as I already understand
that.)
Thanks,
lacos
