Re: [PATCH] change default --format from gnu to posix

[Mike Frysinger]

On 13 Dec 2021 01:19, Paul Eggert wrote:
> If the goal is to move GNU tar to generate ustar or pax format by 
> default, none of these problems are insuperable; we can eventually get 
> people to read the tarballs.

imo, this is the goal for GNU tar

> But if the goal is to generate tarballs 
> that are widely useful without trouble, I'm not so sure that defaulting 
> to pax format would be a win.

for automake, the limitations in the default v7 catch people off guard (like
filename limits).  so pushing pax adoption will help with automake changing
its default.  of course, for legacy systems that can't easily update, and
are unable to install GNU tar, that might not be an option, so we'd never
remove support for tar-v7.  but i don't think we should keep making trouble
for projects the default in order to support decades old systems that most
people probably don't care about.  and if such projects have a user show up
who is like "man i really wish i had a v7 here but i can't find a modern
system to convert it myself", maybe that project will consider changing the
default back to v7.  but i think we need to get off the mindset of defaults
should target systems that are 30+ old to the detriment of 99.999% of devs.
-mike

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