Re: [RFC] remove GNU rcs from FreeBSD 12

On Sun, Sep 11, 2016 at 7:38 AM, Baptiste Daroussin <bapt_at_freebsd.org> wrote:
> hi,
>
> For long we are planning to remove GNU rcs from base, after a failed attempt
> before FreeBSD 10.0. Let see where we are to be able to remove it from FreeBSD
> 12.
>
> GNU rcs is a GPLv2 software with newer version being GPLv3 preventing any
> updates/fixes.
>
> From previous discussions there were issues that has been raised in previous
> attempts:
> - ident(1) is still useful given we still have Keywords in our sources. It has
>   been replaced by a BSD Licensed version (enhanced to improve compatibility
>   with Subversion Keyword) for FreeBSD 11. So that tool will remain in base
>   after removal of GNU rcs.

So no affect.

> - etc-update uses merge(1) from GNU rcs, this has been changed in head to use
>   diff3 instead.

Also no effect. Is our diff3 still the gpl'd one, or has bsd-diff
finally grown that functionality?

> - rc.subr allows to use rcs for the backup file functionality. This
>   functionality is off by default as such I plan to make a warning if rcs is not
>   installed and recommand to install rcs from base (or if noone claim using the
>   feature I will just remove the functionality and only keep the default
>   behaviour aka keep one backup copy).

Works for me. I didn't even know this existed. From mall evidence I
can find, it looks like I stopped using RCS entirely in about 1999,
and that's 5 years after I moved to CVS for most things.

> - people uses rcs to handle configuration files in /etc for example. for those
>   multiple compatible alternatives are available in ports:
>   * rcs57: a copy of the latest version of GNU rcs in base before removal
>     (GPLv2)
>   * rcs: latest GNU rcs version (GPLv3)

This is in line with what we've told people in the past. If I want to
play rogue, I have to install a port...

> I haven't gone the direction of importing OpenRCS (BSD licensed version from
> OpenBSD) as it needs way more work to be 100% compatible with latest version of
> GNU rcs.

If people want it, they can make it a port...

> How to proceed:
> - First turn off GNU rcs by default for a couple of month.
> - Totally remove GNU rcs if no blockers has been raised.

Works for me.

Warner