Re: Offer of help
Fernando <alegre@superlink.net> writes:
> >
> > Packages should be able to install without any question asked. Default
> > config files must be provided as well as default config databases.
>
> Agreed. However, in a very few cases an answer from the user is needed.
> For example, you must know the hostname of the computer and the type
> of connection it has. Using a default value is a wrong choice.
hostname="a_poorly_maintained_debian_system"
connection="none"
There is a much more important thing to think about than missing
defaults: Broken configs. If a program finds that his config is
broken, it can tell the system that it is and next time the config
frontend is invoked (when something is installed or on purpose) the
package will eigther go through its config again or have a big red
warning in front of it notifying the user.
> This is what Windows does. I have an ethernet connection and still Windows
> tells me sometimes that I need to configure my modem to connect to the
> Internet. I guess it assumes that a direct ethernet connection is not the
> right way to connect to the Internet...
Which realy sux, because I can't configure the modem on the
universities comps, so some network stuff doesn't work, even though
they have a 10 MBit connection.
> [regarding a one-way system]
> > And thats the problem. Thats what realy kills you when using SuSe and
> > yast as a debian user. Debian should handle it smarter.
>
> I agree completely. But parsers are difficult and a two-way system will
> take time to be built. In some cases parsers are straightforward and
> should be provided but in others it is trickier. I think that a one-way
> system designed to become a two-way system eventually is the right way
> to proceed.
My approach was that by default a database via shell scripts
(var="value") would be used. If that doesnt suit the package, he can
proide get_var and set_var programs/scripts to interact with the configfile
or database. If you only provide set_var you would have a one_way
system like yours. But once you have set_var, writeing get_var is
trivial and set_var you allways need, so why not make a two way system
anyway.
May the Source be with you.
Goswin
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