Re: [RFC] Move tools sources to the tools directory (was Re: [PATCH v2] MAINTAINERS: Fix the location of tools manuals)

[Philippe Mathieu-Daudé]

On 2/4/21 3:40 PM, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> On 04/02/21 15:22, Wainer dos Santos Moschetta wrote:
>>>> -F: docs/interop/virtfs-proxy-helper.rst
>>>> +F: docs/tools/virtfs-proxy-helper.rst
>>>
>>> Unrelated, but Paolo once said helpers are not tools.
> 
> I think helpers is not a good word.  However, if an executable:
> 
> - can be started directly by QEMU, or is not useful without an emulator
> 
> - is usually too complex for a user to run manually
> 
> then it should be documented in docs/interop (not docs/tools).  Their
> sources however can be in tools/, that's not a problem at all.

I understand tools can be built/used standalone (no dependence),
while helpers are companion of another binary, thus dependent on it:

- we can build tools without emulator
- it is probably pointless to build an helper without its helpee
- some binaries can't be use without helpers

Maybe "companion" is a better candidate to describe?