Re: rules, rules, and more (code policy) rules

[Jim Meyering]

Simon Josefsson <address@hidden> wrote:
>>> # Make tar archive easier to reproduce.
>>> export TAR_OPTIONS = --owner=0 --group=0 --numeric-owner
>>
>> Those options help minimize unnecessary differences between tar archives.
...
> Still, I think the TAR stuff is different.  You can't set TAR_OPTIONS
> in gnulib.mk, because it is not portable.  I see a couple of options:
>
> 1) Move the tar options stuff to automake proper.
> 2) Make automake adhere to a TAR_OPTIONS make variable.
> 3) Write a wrapper-script for 'tar' that is included, which
>    will set those variables if possible.

What are you trying to accomplish?
Making this minor optimization work also for developers who don't
have GNU tar does not justify splitting things into separate files.

Why do you want a TAR_OPTIONS variable?
Can't you just define AMTAR to include whatever
options you want?  If portability is an issue, then
do the same thing here that I did with gzip's --rsyncable option.