Re: [9fans] nupas update

[Akshat Kumar <akumar@mail.nanosouffle.net>]

I left these questions by Ron to be answered
collectively by fellow Plan 9 folks who would
try out his new "package system".
But the conversation deteriorated into a
"portage: pros and cons" debate/seminar.

My input follows.

On 5/16/10, ron minnich <rminnich@gmail.com> wrote:
> It actually works quite well, and probably I should just create a
> /installed directory, but that
> was actually an afterthought. What do you recommend?

I've already created mine. :)

> Example: I mount python.iso and do an Aki rbind -ra of /n/python/root /
> Well ... it just didn't want to work, somehow, although I forget why.
> I punted at that
> point and did the dircp, I just ran out of time.

Is `rbind' a recursive bind, that takes care of binding at
all depths? Because that's what you'd need in order
for the binds to work. And then you shouldn't have any
problems.

> So, if we just go with the dircp approach, and copy the files in, what
> I hear is missing so far:
> - I don't put the installed info into /installed; should I just go
> ahead and fix that?
>  What else?

Really, the installed paths would just be there as a log
of where things went. A straight `dircp' might seem harsh
to some, but in my personal setup, I see no problems with
such a log and my WORM dumps being taken every day.
Then, reverting just means using the history(1) type tools
with respect to the log at /installed/$i. That's only a little
slower than a bunch of unmount(1) commands, but in
totality, keeps a very efficient maintenance system with
no hassles.

If I can come up with a general set of commands to revert
a given package à la history(1)/yesterday(1), I would put
a set of those commands in /installed/$i when the package
is installed. Then you just pass it to rc and you're golden.


Best,
ak