Joey asked for more input, so here is some.
On Sun, 22 Feb 1998, Joey Hess wrote:
> Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> > Joey, do not remove the scores file, just zero size it.
>
> Hm, ok.
>
> > the files have group read permissions, OK? In the postinst, you can touch
> > a file, set the permission, and the games *ALL* work. Try it.
>
> Ok, I belive you. That still doesn't address the other thing that's come up
> about some games having some scores in their default score file for you to
> try to beat.
>
> > Extra files: 56K + dosemu image
>
> + about 2 MB (and up) of lambdacore database. Yes, few systems have this
> installed, but it's subject to the same arguments, and it would bloat /etc
> to no end.
I would hate to see the lambdacore database forced into /etc! (I'm one of
those systems that, from time to time, has a lambdamoo running on the
system)
>
> > advantages of all local mods in /etc:
> > a) only need to backup /etc
>
> It's not much harder to back up /etc + var. Moving all conffiles out of /var
> will not get rid of all the files in /var that you might want to back up, or
> even a large percentage of them. (For example, I have this thing about
> backing up /var/lib/dpkg/ and /var/www/mrtg/. None of that is conffiles.)
>
> > c) configuration files are all supposed to be in /etc
> > follows current policy
>
> But most of these files we're talking about are not traditional unix
> configuration files (ie, text files that can be edited with any editor). And
> many of them will never be edited by anyone (ie, all the games score files)
>
> They are still data that changes. They belong in /var.
Yes.
>
> > d) available on system startup
>
> /var is mounted well before any of the programs in question are run.
>
> > As to the conffile not being a configuration file, I think you
> > are wrong on that issue (you doubtless feel I am wrong). I think this
> > is a time for some deadlock breakage to occur.
>
> Yes, at least it's time to get some one else's input. If anyone else cares
> and if we haven't scared them off.
>
It has always been my understanding that a conffile was a special class
file with respect to dpkg and nothing more. It has special rules for
replacement, but every time I asked Ian J. I was told that a conffile was
not the same thing as a config file. If the policy is intended to dictate
that all conffiles are config files then I am willing to say that the
policy is broken.
> > I think we have reached a point where neither one of us is
> > saying anything new.
>
> Yes.
>
> > If you think policy is restrictive, get it changed.
>
This argument has been one of interpretation. This is always going to be a
problem with the policy. If we choose to live and die based on the words
in the policy manual rather than making a reasoned decisions, when
necessary, that potentially violate policy, the distribution will suffer.
Waiting is,
Dwarf
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