Bruce Perens writes ("dpkg-nondebbin and improper system installation"):
> A number of people have attempted or succeeded in using dpkg-nondebbin
> or a dpkg compiled on their local systems to install Debian without
> using the bootstrap floppies. As far as I am aware, this will yield a
> system that is broken in various ways (non-debian files in the system
> directories, things not configured, etc.). At the very least we should
> discourage this procedure.
How about a README next to the nondebbin tarfile ? README.WARNING
perhaps ? If you'd like to write it, be my guest ...
Bill Mitchell writes ("Re: dpkg-nondebbin and improper system installation"):
> Perhaps dpkg-nondebin should check if it's running on a debian
> system and, if it is, either refuse to proceed or issue a strong
> warning.
No, that's not the problem. The problem (as I understand it) is
people untarring nondebbin, using it to install the base over the top
of whatever they have already, and then ending up with a mess that
they think is Debian.
Installing the odd Debian package using nondebbin should be fine, in
many cases.
Ian.
