On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 01:00:51 -0700
"David S." <davids@idiom.com> wrote:

> > 
> > pkgviews sounds interesting and I would be interested in testing and
> > trying it. (I also thought it was mostly already in place, but I
> > never had the time to try it.)
> > 
> > I was under the impression that it would be optional.
> 
> My experience with "multi-version" package systems - limited to the
> "modules" system (http://modules.sourceforge.net/), used by the NERSC
> super-computing facilitesi (http://www.nersc.gov/), FYI - is that the
> problems they cause are much worse than the problems they purport to
> solve.  Though I'll try to maintain an open mind about NetBSD's
> implementation of this idea, I too hope that the system will be
> entirely optional.
- 

my experience with SEPP at work has been the opposite.  In fact I can
clearly recall more than one instance where the ability to have multiple
installed versions of a program really saved the day.  For example,
group A needs a new version of some program because it has a critical
new feature.  Unfortunately the new version has a fatal bug for some
users in group B.  Now the immediate needs of both can be satisfied
until a solution to the bugs can be found.

-Dan