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Re: many packages FTBFS, if $TAPE is set



Steinar H. Gunderson wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 29, 2007 at 09:05:05AM -0700, John H. Robinson, IV wrote:
> >>> I don't think so.  Hasn't tar defaulted to something approximately
> >>> /dev/rmt0 for *YEARS*, not just on Linux but on just about every platform,
> >>> if -f is not given?
> >> No.
> > tar != gtar. I think you will find that answer to be yes.
> 
> Is there a non-GNU tar in any significant use on Linux?

Not that I am aware of. star may get some use, as might pax. While we
may be talking about a system that uses the FSF's GNU utilities, those
have a long rich history from UNIX. Most of the weird features that the
GNU team has seem to come from behaivour from UNIX.

The historical precedent of gtar respecting $TAPE would come from that.
Last thing you want is to replace your /usr/bin/tar with
/software/common/gnu/bin/tar and have all your scripts break.

If we were to wipe the slate clean, and start over, I am sure at least
two things would be different:

1) tar would ignore $TAPE
2) a better format would be used to slough binary blobs around on the
   internet.

-- 
John H. Robinson, IV          jaqque@debian.org
                                                                 http  ((((
WARNING: I cannot be held responsible for the above,         sbih.org ( )(:[
as apparently my cats have learned how to type.          spiders.html  ((((



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