Re: CVS commit: pkgsrc/devel/glib2

[Roy Marples <roy%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

On 19/04/2011 16:25, Alistair Crooks wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 06:14:03AM +0000, Roy Marples wrote:
> > Module Name:    pkgsrc
> > Committed By:   roy
> > Date:           Tue Apr 19 06:14:02 UTC 2011
> >
> > Modified Files:
> >         pkgsrc/devel/glib2: Makefile
> >
> > Log Message:
> > gtester-report requires python.
>
> Well...
>
> I've seen the other discussion about "developer laziness", but I don't
> buy into it that much.  This now means that every glib2 installation
> requires that we have python installed, for one glib2 function called
> "gtester-report". glib2 is a common pre-req, and maybe even for smaller,
> embedded class machines, and I'm not sure a python interpreter is
> wanted, needed, desirable or useful on such a machine.
>
> Where do we draw the line? What pre-reqs should we require for a
> package just because we can?

This is a very good question.
On the one hand we have Thomas saying "just add the dependency" instead 
of removing an already installed and broken feature and on the other 
hand we have you saying otherwise.

I think I side with Thomas on the whole as it's more "correct".
If someone dislikes the dependency enough, they can split it off into 
another package or depend on it via an option.

Thanks

Roy