Okay, rather than just let my first (sigh) PR waste away, here's an attempt
at a modified PR or a resolution. First the responses:

TV> Actually, they are position-independent source trees, so they can
TV> extract anywhere.

TV> As to pkgsrc, it's classically been rooted at /usr/pkgsrc, but
TV> there was the change that removed the definition of ${PORTSDIR}
TV> to make it position-independent.

TV> If anything, they belong only under /usr and not under /usr/src,
TV> as /usr/src is only for the base NetBSD sources.

MRG> they are designed for /usr/xsrc and /usr/pkgsrc, actually.


Okay, this is pretty clear. Maybe it would be better if I had just
submitted a proposed pub/netbsd/NetBSD-1.3.2/source/sets/README file.

My original impetus for wanting pkgsrc & xsrc to extract into root was to
clear the way for sysinst to install all the distribution sets, and without
having to change the current rule that all tarballs get extracted into /.
(Yes, I was/am planning to work on sysinst.) I was also hoping to reduce
the need for a hard-compiled list of distribution sets in sysinst, which
means either simple rules or a 'manifest' on the distribution media that
tells sysinst everything it needs to know.

One possible resolution would be to resubmit my PR as a change-request
that all source tarballs be relative to *src, so that sysinst can extract
*src.tgz into /usr, and all other tarballs into /.

So I guess I end with a question: how strongly set in stone are the
extraction points for the distribution sets, and (if anyone knows) why?

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ best.com