On Sun, Sep 09, 2018 at 09:32:36PM +0100, Ian Jackson wrote:
> Paride Legovini writes ("Re: Updating the policy for conflicting binaries
> names ? [was: Re: Re: New package netgen-lvs with binary /usr/bin/netgen -
> already taken]"):
> > It would certainly work, but as you say it is still irritating. I like
> > the idea of putting the binaries in a different directory *and*
> > providing a "name compatibility package", as it has been already
> > suggested. This package would provide the symlinks in /usr/bin and set
> > the needed Conflicts. In this way we allow both packages to be installed
> > at the same time while leaving the users enough freedom to chose what to
> > have in their PATH.
>
> This is not a bad idea but we should impose some serious restrictions:
>
> * The basic principle is that the compat name, and the compat
> package, is provided for users and nothing in Debian (even the
> package itself) may use it.
>
> * Other packages MUST NOT depend on or recommend the -debcompat
> package. The reasons for this should be obvious.
>
> * No program (including parts of the same package) should run the
> program by the compat name (by setting PATH, for exmaple).
>
> This is because PATH settings leak: modern software often calls
> other programs, and even if it doesn't do so now it may do so in
> future.
Even this runs the risk of a user thinking "OK, so now I have a choice
between rewriting existing scripts and installing the -debcompat package;
come on, rewrite scripts, really?!" and getting into the habit of
installing the -debcompat package, putting that into all kinds of
automated installations and local (DarkPAN-style) packages and install
scripts, etc... and then, months down the road, somebody else wants to
install the other package and it's much more work to rewrite all the scripts
*then*, when they should have been rewritten earlier.
Just a datapoint; I personally do not have any kind of stake in this.
G'luck,
Peter
--
Peter Pentchev roam@{ringlet.net,debian.org,FreeBSD.org} p...@storpool.com
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