[tex-live] Incompatible geometry.sty changes

[Peter Dyballa]

Hello!

	\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
	\listfiles
	\usepackage[landscape]{geometry}
	\begin{document}
	This is just some text...
	\end{document}

produces in TeX Live 2007 a PDF file with these properties:

	Creator:        TeX
	Producer:       pdfTeX-1.40.3
	CreationDate:   Sun Aug 30 00:37:38 2009
	ModDate:        Sun Aug 30 00:37:38 2009
	Tagged:         no
	Pages:          1
	Encrypted:      no
	Page size:      841.89 x 595.276 pts (A4)
	File size:      5658 bytes
	Optimized:      no
	PDF version:    1.5

Starting with TeX Live 2008 geometry.sty does not follow the system  
wide setting of ISO A4 for the default paper size in pdfTeX. Instead  
it complains:

	! Package geometry Error: You must set \paperwidth properly.
	
	See the geometry package documentation for explanation.
	Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
	 ...n>  for immediate help\@err@
	
	l.857 \Gm at process
	
	
	! Package geometry Error: You must set \paperheight properly.
	
	See the geometry package documentation for explanation.
	Type  H <return>  for immediate help.
	 ...n>  for immediate help\@err@
	
	l.857 \Gm at process
	
	) (./minimal-paper.aux)
	*geometry auto-detecting driver*
	*geometry detected driver: pdftex*

Why? Why is geometry.sty not conforming to the system wide (or  
personal) setting? Starting with TL '08 I have to add the default  
a4paper option either to the document's or to the geometry options.

--
Greetings

   Pete

War springs from unseen and generally insignificant causes.
				– Anonymous