[Gnu-arch-users] Re: =partner-versions

[Mikhael Goikhman]

On 02 Jun 2004 10:56:20 +0900, Miles Bader wrote:
> 
> Mikhael Goikhman <address@hidden> writes:
> > I wonder whether a partner line should also include an optional alias
> 
> This is vaguely starting to smack of over-engineering...  I really like
> the simplicity of a file containing just version names.
> 
> OTOH, it might be very simple to support something like:
> 
>   -g, --group=GROUP       Use partner-group GROUP
> 
> And just append .GROUP to the name of the partner file, e.g., if I
> specified:
> 
>    tla-partner --group=freaks missing -s
> 
> it would get the partners from a file called {arch}/+partner-versions.freaks

It seems we try to solve similar, but orthogonal problems. I don't think
distinct groups of partner versions are very useful, but if one needs
such groups, your solution may work, in addition to what I suggested.

The problem I try to solve is using aliases in limit, like:

  axp partners --limit=miles missing -s

(with multiple --limit <alias-or-sequential-number-or-fqvsn> arguments.)

With your solution, one needs 5 one-liner files, instead of one file.
If we go with +partner-versions with no additional data then we may need
a new stored file +version-aliases. I have no strong preference over a
single or two files (duplication aside), but I think I prefer to support
aliases in any listing, being it partner-versions or maintainer-emails.
This is what I called context-based aliases.

It's possible I am wrong about the common usage cases, and version groups
are much more useful than individual version aliases, but I don't see it.
(I see these 2 problems orthogonal.)

Regards,
Mikhael.