[install-discuss] removing db support from the pkg tools

[James Carlson]

Josh Hurst writes:
> On 1/31/07, Peter Tribble <peter.tribble at gmail.com> wrote:
> > One of the things I was looking at was removing the install database support
> > from the pkg tools.
> >
> > [For those that don't remember, this was a failed attempt to replace the
> > contents file with a database.]
> 
> Why did it fail? Wouldn't it be better to fix it instead of nuking?

I think you'll find angry mobs assembling outside your residence if
you were to try.  But, hey, you're certainly welcome to give it a
shot.  ;-}

As for the current source that's in the Install gate: it's not used,
it has nothing to do with the delivered system today.  Nuke it.  If
someone really wants to take another tilt at this particular windmill,
he'll still be able to look at those old sources (if desired), but
he's going to have to redo everything anyway.

In other words, unused code in a live system rots.  It's best not to
leave it where it can spoil other things.  That's why we try very hard
not to litter our code with garbage like "#ifdef notyet" that you'll
see in some other projects.  Basically, anything inside such a flag is
guaranteed to be wrong -- somewhere between "useless" and "dangerously
misleading."

-- 
James Carlson, Solaris Networking              <james.d.carlson at sun.com>
Sun Microsystems / 1 Network Drive         71.232W   Vox +1 781 442 2084
MS UBUR02-212 / Burlington MA 01803-2757   42.496N   Fax +1 781 442 1677