remove obsolete and confusing acquisition methods: harddisk, mounted, cdrom, nfs
Package: dpkg
Version: 1.4.0.31
Severity: important
Please remove the following methods (based on disk):
harddisk
mounted
cdrom
nfs
These methods are obsolete and buggy. Harddisk/mounted are replaced
by dpkg-multicd and apt methods. CDROM is also replaced by
dpkg-multicd; in fact, this CDROM method doesn't even *work* anymore
with slink since CD-ROMs span two devices.
This bug is important because the mass user confusion which will ensue
when users innocently select the 'cdrom' option. There's no reason to
leave it in.
There are also architectural and *practical* reasons why we should be
looking to remove these methods from dpkg. First off, dpkg
maintenance is *already* a bear; removing stuff from dpkg and putting
them in other packages only serves to help quality. Secondly, these
methods all use 'dpkg -iGROEB' and do very inefficient and sub-optimal
ordering of installation/configuration.
Lastly, look at all the bugs we can close if we remove these
obsolete acquisition methods:
#5380: dselect does not support frozen distribution
#9355: dpkg: dselect doesn't offer the frozen distribution.
#7582: dselect can't install with "cdrom" method if cdrom is already mounted
#10298: A couple of problems with boot-floppies
#11611: /usr/lib/dpkg/methods/disk/setup needs updating
#11800: several runs needed
#13303: main in debian tree
#13426: dselect won't accept Packges Master file from NFS site
#18028: scanning package dir breaks install
#18484: dpkg: "internal error" in dselect
#18540: dpkg: unhelpful error message (invalid control file)
#19476: dselect prints strange things
#21399: /usr/lib/dpkg/methods/disk/setup vulnerable to symlink-in-/tmp attacks
#21400: /usr/lib/dpkg/methods/disk/setup outputs junk
#21758: Dselect doesn't report an error when it doesn't find a package
#22649: dselect crashes
#23322: dselect problem
#23643: dselect isn't `still trying'
#26432: dselect broken for nfs
#27284: nfs access method can't be interrupted
--
.....Adam Di Carlo....adam@onShore.com.....<URL:http://www.onShore.com/>
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