emerging timezone-data-2011e timezone-data-2011e.ebuild, lines 100..101: [[ -L ${ROOT}/etc/localtime ]] && rm -f "${ROOT}"/etc/localtime cp -f "${ROOT}"/usr/share/zoneinfo/"${tz}" "${ROOT}"/etc/localtime cause an overwrite of my localtime configuration, if I had configured localtime the classic way as a symbolic link. According to gentoo policies, I would expect, that an emerge "installs" a ._cfg0000_localtime file, proposing, what to do, instead of just overwriting my former setting {the symlink}. Further, the copy activity of the ebuild, menioned above does not result in /etc/localtime to be owned by any package {"equery belongs /etc/localtime" delivers an empty result}. BTW: where can I read the argumentation, that led to the decision to favour copying a /usr/share/zoneinfo file to /etc over the symlink alternative? {if you don't document the arguments, you fragile behaviour in the long run, since new insights easily break forgotten older insights.} I personally find the symlink superior, since it leaves the information, which timezone setting, I have configured explicit {I can read it from the symlink}. With a file copy, I can only find this out afterwards, if I compare /etc/localtime with all of the files below /usr/share/zoneinfo. BTBTW: why does my system have timezone information configured at two places: /etc/timezone and /etc/localtime? In my opinion, such duplication leads to maintenance problems.
/etc/localtime and /etc/timezone are not the same thing it makes no sense to symlink /etc/localtime when you've set /etc/timezone. the ebuild takes care of keeping it up to date. the existing behavior has been covered on the gentoo-dev mailing list and/or bugzilla. search to find it. no plans to change it anytime soon.
