Subject: Re: New PostgreSQL
To: D'Arcy J.M. Cain <darcy@druid.net>
From: Alistair Crooks <agc@pkgsrc.org>
List: tech-pkg
Date: 03/27/2001 12:34:52
On Tue, Mar 27, 2001 at 06:27:42AM -0500, D'Arcy J.M. Cain wrote:
> The new PostgreSQL is about to be released.  There will be a new feature
> that allows you to build PyGreSQL in the same build.  This is easier
> than building one and then the other since PyGreSQL is also distributed
> with PostgreSQL.  I was wondering if we should take advantage of that.
> We could easily remove the PyGreSQL package (or replace it with a notice
> of how to build it) and put some sort of flag in /etc/mk.conf to tell
> the PostgreSQL package to build PyGreSQL at the same time.
> 
> Heck, considering that it checks for Python first, perhaps we just have
> to include it every time and have it build automatically if Python already
> exists.  Would that be acceptable?

I'd prefer it if we kept it as a separate package.  That way, people
who want it can install it.  People who don't want it don't need to
install it.

We just split ispell from having things dependent on switches in
/etc/mk.conf to being a base package, with separate dictionary
packages.  I think most of us are convinced that that is the way to
go.  Filling up mk.conf with switches does mean that binary packages
can be a pain.

Including it by default means that packages grow huge, and,
presumably, that python would become a pre-requisite package for
postgresql.  I'm not a great fan of kitchen-sink software engineering.
 
> How about thinkgs like Perl?  The same thing may apply.

You mean make Perl into one huge package? What would be the benefits?

Regards,
Alistair