Re: Question about -dev thread "Introduction of app-alternatives/coreutils"

Ionen Wolkens <[email protected]> Tue, 24 Mar 2026 03:13:41 -0400
Newsgroups	gmane.linux.gentoo.user
Message-ID	<acI5pYZbjW4BnZXR@eversor>
On Tue, Mar 24, 2026 at 01:48:55AM -0500, Dale wrote:
> On 3/24/26 1:08 AM, Alexis wrote:
> >
> >
> > which comes across to me as implying that the contributor's proposal 
> > _would_ cause breakage, regardless of whether people wanted to switch 
> > to using uutils or not.
> >
> >
> > Alexis.
> >
> > [a] 
> > https://archives.gentoo.org/gentoo-dev/CANQow5KPWC6bt0yg7QXw_xwKCYCjmdL=R1CGtQa7mUuA6OBgyQ@mail.gmail.com/
> >
> 
> 
> That is what I still can't figure out.  Why is a new package going to 
> break a old package when the new package isn't installed??

Because it needs to change how the old package is installed for the
new package to be installable in its current state -- which is part
of the reason many developers are opposed to it.

In theory it *shouldn't* cause problems but there can be edge cases
depending on how users are using the package, and it was debated
whether the news item is needed or not "just in case". The average
user would likely be entirely unaffected beside possibly being
surprised by the changes and wondering what happened without a news
item.

> 
> Anyway, my understanding is this, which is limited for sure.  If you 
> blindly do a emerge -uDN, during the process, emerge will emerge 
> packages in parallel and coreutils will be in transition at some point.  
> During that time, breakage can/will happen because cp and such is 
> missing, renamed or something.  I get some of that but what I don't get, 
> if I don't install that package, how does it do that? Is the package I'm 
> currently using going to change itself because of the new package or what?
> 
> All those questions don't matter so no need to answer them.  I'm just 
> pointing out the reason it is confusing.  It's like me putting power 
> steering fluid in my power steering reservoir but my engine oil level 
> changes too.  Other than being under the hood, one shouldn't affect the 
> other despite both being a lubricant.  Best analogy I could come up with.
> 
> Maybe in the future they will have a better plan.  Have it set to where 
> one can switch without affecting those who want to continue using the 
> old tool.  I don't recall anything working like this in the past.  Some 
> packages are tricky to upgrade but usually they only affect themselves, 
> or things that depend on them.
> 
> Anyway, I'm going to rest easy now.  This may happen but maybe later 
> when they work out some kinks.
> 
> Thanks to all.
> 
> Dale
> 
> :-)  :-)
> 

-- 
ionen
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