texmf/tex//

[K. Berry]

     -- One must not use texmf/tex// as search path, due to duplicate
        files. TEXINPUTS must be set for each format anew. (There may be

[speaking as stds-type person]
I do not think the standard should require users to have a different
TEXINPUTS path for each format, or implementors to support this
feature. In practice, is there a problem for anything besides latex 2.09
vs. latex2e?

I think we already recognize that there is a potential problem; we
should probably recommend more strongly that implemntors support it.

[speaking as implementor]
On the other hand, if no other implementor objects, I certainly don't.
My programs already support this feature, and have for ages.

    That's not true, filenames are
    only unique over the trees tex/{<format>,generic}/. 

Say what? As far as I know, we've always been assuming filenames are
unique over the entire tree. Or, more precisely, if filenames are not
unique, results are unspecified without a more precise path. What's
wrong with this?