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Date:      Fri, 10 Oct 2003 21:27:43 +0200
From:      Thomas-Martin Seck <tmseck-lists@netcologne.de>
To:        freebsd-ports@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: ports that should use CONFLICTS
Message-ID:  <20031010192743.GA1690@laurel.tmseck.homedns.org>
In-Reply-To: <3F86FE4E.4010308@fillmore-labs.com>
References:  <20031010182457.1651.qmail@laurel.tmseck.homedns.org> <3F86FE4E.4010308@fillmore-labs.com>

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* Oliver Eikemeier (eikemeier@fillmore-labs.com):

> Thomas-Martin Seck wrote:
> 
> >[...]
> >>Regardless, they overwrite each other, and thus a CONFLICTS line should
> >>be added.
> >
> >Well, I admit that I do not quite understand which problem CONFLICTS
> >tries to solve. The porter's handbook is rather vague about it. In my
> >opinion, CONFLICTS is useful but only to point out not-obvious
> >incompatibilities. Using it to signal every kind of "duplicate file
> >installation" would make mutt CONFLICT with tin since both install
> >an mbox(5) document.
> 
> They shouldn't, otherwise the man page disappeares when the first port
> is deinstalled.

At least when portupgrade is used, since it uses pkg_delete -f.

>                If your argument is that this is a file you don't care
> for, then it shouldn't be installed in the first place. Or you should
> propose a rating system for files...

No, I am just wondering which problem CONFLICT should solve. No port
should overwrite another port's files but this is a problem that has to
be solved before the port is committed, maybe by implementing a
mechanism to check +CONTENTS against a DB of all known packages.
Preventing the stupidest possible admin from installing five localized
versions of the same port over another is a problem the ports collection
should not even try to solve. I believe that CONFLICTS can be useful,
but not for the kinds of problems I already mentioned.



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