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Re: base-files: Does not permit the use of symlinks in /etc/profile.d/


On Sep 19 09:02, John Morrison wrote:
> On Sun, September 18, 2005 10:14 pm, Corinna Vinschen wrote:
> Humm, playing devils advocate for a minute - but if a user is happy with
> the system they've got (perhaps by tweaking files themselves) - is it the
> systems job to force them to update?

The problem is that the user might be happy, but at one time the system
is suddenly broken for no apparent reason to the user.  The actual reason
was that a package A relies on a feature introduced in a default config
file in package B.

Come to think of it, maybe this is something which never should happen.
If a package *relies* on something in a default config file, which
is by definition intended to be overwritable by the user, then that
package is seriously broken.

> > In rpm, there's a mechanism which allows the package maintainer to
> > define the changes as so important, that rpm moves the old file out
> > of the way (renaimg it to foo.oldrpm or something like that),
> > installs the new file and sends a mail to root about this.
> [...]
> How about using the return value to flag setup.  Setup could then, for
> example, display a special 'log' file - or, if the file exists perhaps
> /etc/profile could cat it then delete it?

What about this: Setup creates a subdir /var/log/setup.  Package preremove
and postinstall scripts, which have encountered a situation which requires
them to inform the user about an important change can write a file
/var/log/setup/package.info.  When setup has finished update, it searches
this directory and if files are available informs the user that package
foo has something to talk about.  "Do you want to read [Y/N]?" If yes,
Setup opens a dialog with just a scrollable field which contains the contents
of the info file.  Afterwards it renames or removes the info file.

> Sorry, think my reply came across a bit grumpy - not intended!

No worries.

> *grin* at this rate how long do you think before cygwin counts as a
> complete 'distro'?

Heh, it's a complete distro to me ;-)


Corinna

-- 
Corinna Vinschen                  Please, send mails regarding Cygwin to
Cygwin Project Co-Leader          cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
Red Hat, Inc.


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