Re: Q: Location of copyrighted ROM images for emulator packages?
On Sun, Feb 22, 1998 at 01:43:15PM -0600, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> Hi,
> >>"Marcus" == Marcus Brinkmann <Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de> writes:
>
> Marcus> No, I don't interpret it differently. It is a clear statement
> Marcus> that every conf file should reside in /etc, I'm sorry again. I
> Marcus> did a quick check if policy is followed:
>
> Marcus> flora$ grep -v /etc /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.conffiles
>
> I show many more violatons, but I think I have a fuller
> install ;-)
I'm quite sure about this, although my 1GB disc is nearly bursting.
[snipped the part that is obsolete now that I know more]
> Marcus> This leads to the simple questions why conf files should
> Marcus> reside in /etc. The answer is because they are likely to be
> Marcus> subject of modifications, isn't it?
>
> Correct
>
> Marcus> But the ROM images are not subject of modification (only once,
> Marcus> when they are downloaded and installed).
>
> I don't think the number of times is relevant. I modify most
> conf files only once anyway, a very small handfull need to be updated
> on a regular basis. That does not make them any less conffiles.
You have a point here.
> Also, what if there are new ROM's out there? How are we so
> sure that the ROM shall be overwritten just once?
>
>
> Marcus> So the feature of dpkg (namely conf file handling), could be
> Marcus> exploited: the rom images would reside in the /usr area.
>
> Why should they reside in /usr, and not in /etc? I do not
> understand why the bitter fight to the end against ROMs in /etc.
Oh, I don't want to fight, I just had this (in my eyes brilliant) idea, and
I now realize that it was not so brilliant.
Perhaps people don't want them in /etc because they could be large or are
not text files ;)
I now changed my opinion: The free roms should be installed under
/usr/lib/<package> (or whatever else is appropriate), and the roms that have
to be fetched should probably not be handled by dpkg at all. The admin can
put them where he likes (usr/local/lib comes to mind), and he has to specify
the path on the command line.
However, I will retreat from participating in this discussion, I have
created enough confusion today ;)
> Marcus> You are right that policy is clear about the subject, but
> Marcus> policy is not applicable to every situation.
>
> Wrong. Until policy is changed, it *is* applicable to all
> packages. Change the policy if it is defective, in this case I have
> not seen *ONE* technical argument that would justify a change, just
> "but we want it in /usr" arguments.
On this level of discussing policy, you are right *all the time*. I like
this, but it has a religious touch ;)
Sure you are right that in this case policy is clean. I didn't consider all the
implications. Although I try hard to avoid it, sometimes I'm just too much
single-user-system-centric.
> Marcus> We have a special case here and the conf file handling may be
> Marcus> appropriate to "mis"-use here. It is only a suggestion, my 2
> Marcus> cents, my little unhumble opinion, etc.
>
> I do not agree.
I withdraw.
> Marcus> What I would like to know is, if there are technical arguments
> Marcus> against this procedure I don't see.
>
> There are many, which touch on system local configurastion
> files, backup issue, locality of local changes, availability on
> system startup, and others.
>
> The Policy and FSSTND wer not just created out of whole
> cloth. I do not have time to go into the ramifications of our
> decision to constrain all configuration files to /etc; maybe I shall
> so expound at a later time.
I'm sorry that I wasted your time, Manoj. It's just that if the ROM images
would be free, they *had* to be in /usr, that's what lead me (and probably
other) to this strong feeling that they actually should be there although
they are not in the debian package.
But it is not acceptable to break policy for this.
Marcus
--
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