Re: PW#5-3: How packages can register cron jobs
bcwhite@verisim.com (Brian White) wrote on 15.01.98 in <[🔎] 34BE3102.72EF06F0@verisim.com>:
> > > The current policy does not allow packages to touch /etc/crontab
> > > anymore. This is because we don't allow packages to modify other
> > > packages configuration files.
> >
> > We should also correct the policy to say that _no_ package should touch
> > _any_ config file from a script. The problem caused that way isn't related
> > to which package script and config file belong to.
>
> While a good general rule, I think it would be a mistake to make it all
> encompasing. There will be cases where touching the conffile within the
> postinst of another package really will be the best way to do things.
I feel tempted to just post "No." :-)
Well, it might be a way to deal with some brokenness, just like doing
things like the tetex install checking for other packages because dpkg
can't do it, even if it ought to.
But that's for what I'd call "emergencies". Normal use, IMNSHO, must
_never_ do that.
Getting asked what to do about a conffile that you never heard about
during an upgrade is bad, bad, bad. And that's exactly what will happen if
you do this.
It's what _does_ happen far too often today.
MfG Kai
Reply to: