Re: package repo sanity checking

[Aleksey Cheusov <cheusov%tut.by@localhost>]

On Sat, May 26, 2012 at 3:18 PM, Jeremy C. Reed <reed%reedmedia.net@localhost> 
wrote:
> On Sat, 26 May 2012, Aleksey Cheusov wrote:
> But I don't understand the purpose of keeping them listed in the
> pkg_summary file?  Yes I understand it may make it easier to install old
> version.  But this polutes the output of available packages. pkgin lists
> all the choices; now the end-user pauses to think about it: "Why version
> 2.2.6nb9 and 2.2.6nb8 both available?"

I think now I understand your point. See below.

> Should we continue to host old packages (now have new versions in same
> repo) for life of the branch?

As far as I can see there are only a few pull-ups in quarter release
in comparison to a number of packages in pkgsrc.
So, keeping older binary is not a problem if we care about disk space
but it works better for those who use older pkg_summary.

> Should we continue to list old packages in pkg_summary?

This depends on the order we upload packages and pkg_summary.
If binaries are uploaded first, then it's safe to remove duplications
from pkg_summary.
Otherwise it better to keep duplicates for minimizing "broken repo" time.
I don't know how pbulk works here but in distbb this order is not garanteed
(rsync uploads all at once). I've updated my TODO.

> Is there a good reason that an end-user would want to purposely install
> an old version? (And will we support the fallout from that?)

Probably no.