From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-Id: <200303260143.h2Q1hOt20381@augusta.math.psu.edu>
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] backwards-incompatible changes 
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 25 Mar 2003 16:58:45 EST."
             <272f30affaea63d326103dc12299cace@plan9.bell-labs.com> 
From: Dan Cross <cross@math.psu.edu>
Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 20:43:24 -0500
Topicbox-Message-UUID: 842fd232-eacb-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025

> First, namespace files now have a `.' syntax to include
> other files.

Hooray!  But,

> /lib/namespace will include /lib/namespace.$sysname.
> Thus, namespace.$sysname will become additions to the
> default name space rather than replacing it.  To prepare for
> this change, add the line ``clear'' to the top of any
> namespace.$sysname files you have.  The old code
> will ignore it, and the new code will do rfork(RFCNAMEG)
> when it sees it.  Once you are running the new code
> everywhere, you can trim your namespace.$sysname
> files considerably.

Ick.  Why not include a /lib/namespace.local, which can do things as it
sees fit?  The rationale here is that one can keep /lib/namespace the
same as on sources (reducing the maintenance burden), but provide much
the same functionality (/lib/namespace.local can include
/lib/addns.$sysname or something similar).

	- Dan C.