Re: CVS commit: pkgsrc/bootstrap

[Jonathan Perkin <jperkin%pkgsrc.org@localhost>]

* On 2017-01-04 at 17:54 GMT, rodent%NetBSD.org@localhost wrote:

> > On Tue, 15 Nov 2016 14:39:21 +0100, Joerg Sonnenberger wrote
> > > On Tue, Nov 15, 2016 at 11:19:09AM +0000, Jonathan Perkin wrote:
> > > Module Name:  pkgsrc
> > > Committed By: jperkin
> > > Date:         Tue Nov 15 11:19:09 UTC 2016
> > > 
> > > Modified Files:
> > >       pkgsrc/bootstrap: README README.Bitrig README.FreeBSD README.Interix
> > >           README.MirBSD README.OpenBSD bootstrap
> > > 
> > > Log Message:
> > > Change the default PKG_DBDIR to be ${LOCALBASE}/pkgdb.  Resolves issues on
> > > other BSDs which already use /var/db/pkg for the native package manager.
> > 
> > This makes the situation for bootstrapping into /usr/pkg even more
> > confusing on NetBSD now...
> > 
> > Joerg
> 
> I must agree with this, and not only on NetBSD but on all the OSes this
> affected. Not only is this wrong when we consider traditional hier (7), but
> also the pkgsrc documentation was not updated to reflect this. There was
> nothing about this breaking change in the quarterly release announcement.
> 
> Thus, are users supposed to experience discontent when updating their machines
> between _quarters_ - which are supposed to provide a semblance of stability -
> spend 15-30 minutes figuring out what changed where and when it was discussed,
> and generally to get stuffed otherwise? Honestly, there's nothing about how
> this particular change was implemented that looks good from a UX perspective.

I'll update the docs, thanks for noticing that.

As for the other concerns, this simply isn't a breaking change by any
standard definition.  It does not affect users who have already
bootstrapped, and it is impossible to bootstrap over the top of an
existing install, thus there cannot be a disconnect between PKG_DBDIR
settings under normal use.

The only real chance of breakage is if you have some external scripts that
have hardcoded PKG_DBDIR themselves, and they would be better served by
determining it from mk.conf anyway.

The facts are:

 - This change fixed a real problem.

 - Under normal circumstances it doesn't affect users, other than users on
   other BSDs can now bootstrap without failure by default (if we're
   arguing UX then surely that was the worst possible experience?)

 - We had as many suggestions for a default PKG_DBDIR path as we had
   people offering opinions.  You can't please everyone, it certainly
   wasn't my preferred option, but sometimes you just need to move
   forward rather than discussing it to death with nothing changing.

 - I sent a HEADS UP email about it, just in case there were users who
   depended on hardcoded PKG_DBDIR settings in scripts:

     http://mail-index.netbsd.org/pkgsrc-users/2016/11/15/msg023988.html

   In hindsight it would have been good to mention this in release mail,
   however I was mostly ill/away over Christmas.

 - You still have the option to specify --pkgdbdir=/var/db/pkg if you
   prefer the old behaviour.

Regards,

-- 
Jonathan Perkin       www.perkin.org.uk
github.com/jperkin  twitter.com/jperkin