Bug#61308: PROPOSAL] Initializing databases by using conffiles.

[Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es>]

On Wed, 29 Mar 2000, Anthony Towns wrote:

> On Wed, Mar 29, 2000 at 02:47:10PM +0200, Santiago Vila wrote:
> > > > \begin{proposal}
> > > > Do not initialize a text database by using the conffile mechanism.
> > > > \end{proposal}
> > > What is a `text database' ? That term seems very unclear to me; but
> > > based on the bug report I'd certainly be happy to second something
> > > clearer to achieve this.
> > [...] I would like
> > to see an example of database for which the conffile mechanism is useful.
> 
> /etc/services.
> 
> (It's not *optimal*, perhaps, but it is useful; and it oughtn't be prohibited
> by policy, unlike mailcap)

Very good example, indeed!

What about this?:

\begin{proposal}
Do not initialize a database by using the conffile mechanism, unless the
package containing the database provides it `complete' and it is usually
not updated by other packages (example: /etc/services).
\end{proposal}

[ I think the example is useful here to clarify what kind of databases we
  are referring to ].

Thanks.

-- 
 "119a7263808ba10fc5df0f62d71f3ae0" (a truly random sig)