Re: insserv + apache2 + bind9 = pain

[Osamu Aoki <osamu@debian.org>]

Hi,

Debian package respects all sysadmin choices.  We do not overwrite them.

If not, that is a serious bug.

Some careful and respectful questining to keep this promise seem to
annoy some people who have not found typical work around steps.

(Besides, there were some bug on apatch2 package.)

On Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 07:24:19PM -0500, Tom H wrote:
... 
> IIUC, you'll be prompted at every upgrade of "/etc/init.d/apache2" to
> choose between your local copy or the maintainer's or to view a diff
> (or a fourth option that I can't remember at the moment; shell
> prompt?).

I guess apach2 has some postinst script which alters conffile every
time.  If so, you may be asked repeated questions. (Most packages are
not.  If packager use fancy techniques, we can avoid such question. You
may request such to the maintainer.  See
http://packages.debian.org/lenny/ucf)

Still, this is an user selectable feature as I understand via
apt.conf(5) via Dpkg or /etc/dpkg/dpkg.cfg. As I read dpkg(1),
--force-confold is what you want.  These feature can be changed.  (But
doing so will cause some other issues such as not keeping up with
upfdated initialization scheme.)

This changes applies not just for apatch2 but applies for all.  I do not
know if I can selectively apply this only for the apatch2 package.  That
is interesting wishlist bug.

If I got into such hussle issue and need to deal for many machines, I
will think about using apt.conf(5) via Dpkg::Pre-Invoke,
Dpkg::Post-Invoke.  There you run your script to save and restore your
custom configuration files with your custom santy chacks if it is
absolutely needed. Maybe fai etc have fancy method for such high power
admin. 

But it seems small hussle for me to say "Use old" .... or run small hack
script since I am a small system admin.

If you create such script or work around nicely, let us know.

Osamu