Bug#1031354: closed by Paul Tagliamonte <paultag@gmail.com> (Re: Bug#1031354: installation-reports: I cannot find /usr/bin/ps in any package, but it is normally installed with via an ISO install.)

I attempted to use the phusion passenger package, but it would not properly run because it needs /usr/bin/ps for somer reason. No problem, I will just install it. When I searched for the package containing it on packages.debian.org, the search returns no results. That is, there is no package that contains /usr/hin/ps. I expected it would be in coreutils, but it is not. It seems to be present on a another recent Debian bullseye install I did, but, again, it is contained in any package. It should be contained in a package in the base_system, but it is not. How does it get there? What if there is a security issue identified with the program, would it be updated? Having a binary program installed on a system without it being contained in a package seems to contravene the Debian packaging policies.

Downstream distributions, such as Ubuntu are also affected. I confirmed the /usr/bin/ps is not contained in any package for 22.04 LTS, although I have not filed a bug report.

You can reproduce the problem easily by either searching for /usr/bin/ps on packages.debian.org or

$ dpkg -S $(which ps)

On a system with /usr/bin/ps

Thanks,

Steve

On Feb 15, 2023, at 10:36 AM, Debian Bug Tracking System <owner@bugs.debian.org> wrote:

This is an automatic notification regarding your Bug report
which was filed against the installation-reports package:

#1031354: installation-reports: I cannot find /usr/bin/ps in any package, but it is normally installed with via an ISO install.

It has been closed by Paul Tagliamonte <paultag@gmail.com>.

Their explanation is attached below along with your original report.
If this explanation is unsatisfactory and you have not received a
better one in a separate message then please contact Paul Tagliamonte <paultag@gmail.com> by
replying to this email.

--
1031354: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1031354
Debian Bug Tracking System
Contact owner@bugs.debian.org with problems

From: Paul Tagliamonte <paultag@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Bug#1031354: installation-reports: I cannot find /usr/bin/ps in any package, but it is normally installed with via an ISO install.
Date: February 15, 2023 at 10:33:47 AM EST
To: Cyril Brulebois <kibi@debian.org>
Cc: Steve Roggenkamp <roggenkamps@acm.org>, 1031354-done@bugs.debian.org, tianon@debian.org, paultag@debian.org

On Wed, Feb 15, 2023 at 04:30:25PM +0100, Cyril Brulebois wrote:
Boot method: via a Docker build
Image version: bullseye-slim current

Furthermore, I'm pretty sure Docker images are meant to be lightweight,
and you aren't normally supposed to log in and inspect processes inside
such images, so I can perfectly understand why people responsible for it
didn't include procps.

doubly so on the -slim variant. I think everything's working as
intended. If you wish to use a Docker image as more than just that, I
would suggest creating a Dockerfile adding packages you require and
using your local image.

The docker images intentionally do not have everything from a full
install. Including things like GRUB or Linux, since neither are
required.

Lowering severity and cc-ing accordingly.

Closing this report. Thank you for the heads up, and thanks for the
report!

--
:wq

From: Steve Roggenkamp <roggenkamps@acm.org>
Subject: installation-reports: I cannot find /usr/bin/ps in any package, but it is normally installed with via an ISO install.
Date: February 15, 2023 at 10:03:30 AM EST
To: Debian Bug Tracking System <submit@bugs.debian.org>

Package: installation-reports
Severity: serious
Tags: d-i
Justification: Policy 3.7, 10.1
X-Debbugs-Cc: roggenkamps@acm.org

(Please provide enough information to help the Debian
maintainers evaluate the report efficiently - e.g., by filling
in the sections below.)

Boot method: via a Docker build
Image version: bullseye-slim current
Date: <Date and time of the install>

Machine: Apple Macbook Pro Intel
Partitions: <df -Tl will do; the raw partition table is preferred>

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot:           [ ]
Detect network card:    [ ]
Configure network:      [ ]
Detect media:           [ ]
Load installer modules: [ ]
Clock/timezone setup:   [ ]
User/password setup:    [ ]
Detect hard drives:     [ ]
Partition hard drives: [ ]
Install base system:    [ ]
Install tasks:          [ ]
Install boot loader:    [ ]
Overall install:        [ ]

Comments/Problems:

<Description of the install, in prose, and any thoughts, comments
     and ideas you had during the initial install.>

Please make sure that any installation logs that you think would
be useful are attached to this report. Please compress large
files using gzip.