sys-libs/db old SLOT removal - 30/05/2021 00:00 GMT

On 2021-07-01, we will mask the following Berkeley DB (aka sys-libs/db)
slots for removal from the tree within 90 days (bug #792222):

- 1
- 3
- 4.2
- 4.3
- 4.4
- 4.5
- 4.6
- 4.7
- 5.1

You should export your data first before rebuilding any applications
against newer slots of sys-libs/db.

Furthermore, the Gentoo Base System Team has decided to consider
sys-libs/db a deprecated database backend. What this means for you is
that we will slowly start deprecating optional use of sys-libs/db in
consumers and mask their USE="berkdb" flags with the goal of eventual
removal of berkdb support from those packages.

Other distros such as Fedora have started a gradual phase-out of
Berkeley DB too, given Oracle's strong-armed approach to community
input and their arguably hostile switch to the AGPLv3
(https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Libdb_deprecated). Furthermore,
Oracle is known for removing critical features from BDB in supposed
patch releases, such as the removal of the client-server architecture
and the SQL API between 18.1.32 and 18.1.40.

To this end, we will also be removing USE="berkdb" from
profiles/default/linux/make.defaults on 2021-07-01. If you implicitly
depend on profiles enabling optional use of sys-libs/db, you will need
to enable this USE flag yourself.

From here on, you should be working under the assumption that the
sys-libs/db package will be gone from the Gentoo repository within
**two years** from the time of this news item. If you depend on BDB in
a production environment, we strongly suggest you move to one of the
modern replacements, such as GDBM, SQLite or LMDB.