Re: Adding the `prescient` packages to NonGNU ELPA?

[Stefan Monnier]

> Another drawback of main+extension repositories from the perspective of
> [Non]GNU Elpa is that it makes it necessary for elpa-admin.el to
> checkout the same repository multiple times.  I think this is a small
> drawback and I would recommend that just ignore it.  Otherwise it is an
> internal tooling issue that shouldn't concern package maintainers;
> elpa-admin.el could, for example, be taught to clone the repository just
> once and to use a separate worktree for each package.

Agreed.

The real reason behind the pushback is when trying to support "install
from VCS", such as `package-vc` (which is also supported by
`elpa-admin.el`, tho in less user-friendly way).

E.g. I can't see a clean way to install `git-commit` directly from its
VCS (i.e. recognized by `package-activate-all` and running from the Git
clone) without either forcing the install of `magit` at the same
time(&place) and/or having side-effects like sometimes shadowing another
installation of `magit`.

We may be able to handle it satisfactorily *if* the various subpackages
are each placed in a different subdirectory (and indeed, in that case,
depending on the VCS we may even be able to clone only the relevant
subdir (or maybe clone the whole, but make a worktree that only exposes
the relevant subdir)).


        Stefan "I care about that because that's the way I've installed
                all my packages for the last few years and I find it very
                convenient :-)"