FS#15452 - [abs] Help to reduce confusion of the term "abs" by renaming the abs sync script.

Attached to Project: Arch Linux
Opened by Jonathan Frazier (wide-eye) - Thursday, 09 July 2009, 04:54 GMT
Last edited by Allan McRae (Allan) - Saturday, 20 March 2010, 02:27 GMT
Task Type Feature Request
Category Packages: Extra
Status Closed
Assigned To Aaron Griffin (phrakture)
Allan McRae (Allan)
Architecture All
Severity Very Low
Priority Normal
Reported Version
Due in Version Undecided
Due Date Undecided
Percent Complete 100%
Votes 1
Private No

Details

I find it annoying to have to explain that abs means both "the Arch build system" and abs the abs tree sync script. Trouble occurs when trying to search on the wiki, or understanding someones use of "abs" in conversation.

My suggestion is to rename the abs sync script have a more descriptive name. So you can easily tell what it does, and to reduce the ambiguity and misuse of "abs" as it is used today.

A larger goal of this would be to clarify the meaning and/or documentation of "Arch Build System." The authoritative doc seems to be the wiki page [1] or perhaps the minimal README in /var/abs [2]. the wiki page is confusing, and even contradicts itself in the use of the term (yes, I know it is a wiki). Unless this is intended to be a riddle to try and decipher it shows the confusion. Renaming the update script is an easy step to help clear it up.

Here are a few examples to give some ideas of a good new name for the the "abs" script:
absync, mkabstree, abstreeup.

of these I would vote for mkabstree.

[1] http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ABS_-_The_Arch_Build_System
[2] http://projects.archlinux.org/?p=abs.git;a=blob_plain;f=README;hb=HEAD
This task depends upon

Closed by  Allan McRae (Allan)
Saturday, 20 March 2010, 02:27 GMT
Reason for closing:  Deferred
Additional comments about closing:  See final comment.
Comment by Allan McRae (Allan) - Thursday, 09 July 2009, 06:08 GMT
I'm not convinced this change is needed. I really do not think the distinction between the tree and the script that downloads it is that difficult to grasp.
Comment by Jonathan Frazier (wide-eye) - Thursday, 09 July 2009, 11:45 GMT
If you mean to say "ABS" only refers to the tree and tools used to distribute the tree and not including building packages and not a top level "the arch way of building packages", then my request also includes: change "The Arch Build System" to something descriptive of what it actually is. Such as "the Arch build-script distribution system"

this also contradicts the documentation and common use of "ABS."
Comment by Aaron Griffin (phrakture) - Thursday, 09 July 2009, 18:35 GMT
Why not go a little crazy with the concept:

$ abs sync #syncs the tree
$ abs build bash #cd's to the ABSROOT dir, and runs makepkg
$ abs help
$ abs ...other stuff..

this would clarify things (as "abs sync" is now the way to sync) AND give the script some more utility
Comment by Allan McRae (Allan) - Friday, 10 July 2009, 01:54 GMT
Sure, that sounds good to me. So.... patches welcome!
Comment by Allan McRae (Allan) - Saturday, 20 March 2010, 02:27 GMT
I'm closing this. It appears no-one has the motivation to rewrite abs to do this so this bug is just going to sit here doing nothing forever.

If someone does want to do this, send patches to the arch-general list or request a repoen to post them here.

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