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Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:58:44 -0500
From: David Farning <dfarning@gmail.com>
To: OpenEmbedded Development List <openembedded-devel@lists.openembedded.org>
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Subject: [doc] defining OpenEmbedded
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Getting started is coming along nicely.

I am strugging with the way open embedded uses to terms.
local.conf
metadata

In the first case, the term local.conf implies a configuration file
that makes a program work correctly on a local machine.  OE uses the
file local.conf to define the top level build parameters for a bitbake
build.  That is pretty confusing.  It would be more clear if
local.conf was called build.conf.

In the second case referring to OE as a collection of metadata is
confusing.  Metadata is data about the data.  OE is actually a
collection of patches, task lists, and configuration files.  I was
wondering if it would be more clear to refer to oe as either a ruleset
or task lists.

It seems like the term local.cconf and metadata may have outgrown
their original usage as OE became more advanced.

Thanks
David Farning