Hi, I think this is a good idea. I temporarily withhold my second, to suggest this:
> > Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 18:01:14 PST > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > From: Joey Hess <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Bug#59403: [PROPOSED] restrictions on content of /usr/share/doc > > Return-Path: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Delivery-Date: Wed Mar 1 19:07:57 2000 > X-Envelope-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Reply-To: Joey Hess <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Resent-From: Joey Hess <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Resent-To: debian-bugs-dist@lists.debian.org > Resent-CC: Debian Policy List <debian-policy@lists.debian.org> > Resent-Date: Thu, 02 Mar 2000 03:03:38 GMT > Resent-Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > X-Debian-PR-Message: report 59403 > X-Debian-PR-Package: debian-policy > X-Debian-PR-Keywords: > X-Loop: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Mail-Followup-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Mime-Version: 1.0 > User-Agent: Mutt/1.0.1i > X-Mailing-List: <debian-policy@lists.debian.org> archive/latest/7636 > X-Loop: debian-policy@lists.debian.org > Precedence: list > Resent-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Package: debian-policy > Severity: wishlist > > Summary: > > A proposal to limit the files that are placed in /usr/share/doc to those > that are not referred to by any programs on the system. > > Rationale: > > 1. /usr/share/doc is showing signs of being used as a dumping ground for > random files associated with a package. Three examples are the lintian > override files, the Debian.bugtemplate files used by reportbug[1], and > .dhelp files. > > 2. It's a repeated wishlist that /usr/share/doc be able to be done away > with on low-disk space machines. This doesn't work extremely well yet since > dpkg cannot be told to exclude files in /usr/share/doc (though it may one > day), but it is reasonable to support people who link /usr/share/doc to > /dev/null or remove it. > > Note that policy 6.7. already says, about files in > /usr/share/doc/<package>/examples: "These files should not be referenced by > any program--they're there for the benefit of the system administrator and > users, as documentation only." > > Proposal: > > The following diff is against section 6.3: > > It is often a good idea to put text information files (`README's, > changelogs, and so forth) that come with the source package in > `/usr/share/doc/<package>' in the binary package. However, you don't > need to install the instructions for building and installing the > package, of course! > + > + Files in /usr/share/doc should not be referenced by any program, and > + the system adminostrator should be able to delete them without causing > any > + programs to break. + Additionally, the system administrator should be able to say [to debconf maybe?] + that files in /usr/share/doc never be installed, that they be + removed all at once or, having originally preferred same, that + they should be installed again from all packages that installs + such a dir. > + Any files that are referenced by programs but are also > + useful as standalone documentation should be installed under > + /usr/share/<package>/ and symlinked to /usr/share/doc/<package>/. -Jim --- Jim Lynch Finger for pgp key as Laney College CIS admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.laney.edu/~jim/ as Debian developer: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.debian.org/~jwl/
