Re: bin/46142: The cpio(1), pax(1) and tar(1) manpages need improvement

[Thomas Klausner <wiz%NetBSD.org@localhost>]

The following reply was made to PR bin/46142; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Thomas Klausner <wiz%NetBSD.org@localhost>
To: Bug Hunting <bughunting%xs4all.nl@localhost>
Cc: NetBSD GNATS <gnats-bugs%gnats.NetBSD.org@localhost>,
        Marc Balmer <mbalmer%NetBSD.org@localhost>
Subject: Re: bin/46142: The cpio(1), pax(1) and tar(1) manpages need
 improvement
Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2012 13:47:28 +0200

 On Sun, Mar 11, 2012 at 02:22:50AM +0100, Bug Hunting wrote:
 > The patch as proposed was made to create consistency within individual
 > manpages, but indeed not across them; if this is wished for, that
 > could be done so as well.  Note however that the removals of
 > ``/decompress'' in cpio.1 are not needed for consistency, but
 > because the `-o' option, what these parts are about, is about
 > archive creation, which does not involve decompression.
 > 
 > While at it, also note the mixed use of ``decompress'' and
 > ``uncompress''; if this will be made to be consistent as well,
 > choosing the latter would probably be best, since that's also the
 > name of one of tar(1)'s options (and, of course, the external
 > program being called, i.e., uncompress(1)).
 
 What's the latest suggested patch you have for these?
 
 > The sentence as proposed was copied verbatim (except the argument
 > name) from libarchive's bsdtar(1) manpage; sticking with that would
 > maintain a bit of consistency.  Choose what fits best though.
 
 Ok, then let's leave that for now as you suggested.
 
 > On Sun, Mar 04, 2012 at 03:35:02PM +0000, Marc Balmer wrote:
 > >  I don't understand why this change is requested or why it should be
 > >  good.  The only difference is that rstX are rewinding tape devices and
 > >  nrstX are non-rewinding tapes (they rewind on close).
 > The reason is, as the PR says (although with the added note on
 > doubting the change along with it), that the default tape device
 > was changed to a non-rewinding one as well; why would tar(1) use
 > a non-rewinding tape as its default, but rewinding ones as other
 > compiled-in ones?
 
 I'm not comfortable with changing this part since I haven't ever used
 tapes. Please send me a patch without that part and open a new PR for
 the tape part, so someone else can pick this up.
 
 Thanks,
  Thomas