Re: Which files in /usr/sbin?
Fernando Alegre wrote:
> > traceroute is /usr/sbin. There is no need for normal users to use
> > traceroute (the same reasons are true for ifconfig/route). All they need
> > to know is that a host _is_ reachable and not which way the packets go.
>
> I disagree. Users want to know also where the connection is lost. For
> example, their provider might be using Sprint and the other end Alternet.
> If the connection is lost at Sprint's gateway, they can go back the next
> day just in case it is fixed by then. If, on the other hand, the
> connection is lost at Alternet, then they just wait a few seconds and try
> again. At least this is my personal experience. Traceroute is important
> to decide whether to wait or not.
Yes, I know what you mean. But I think you are not the "normal user". You
should then add the sbin directories to your path (or add $HOME/bin to
your path and add symbolic links (/usr/sbin/traceroute ~/bin/traceroute).
> > smail and rdate are normally not used by normal users. You can run httpd
> > as a normal user but in most cases it's not necessary. And the purpose of
>
> I disagree again. If your provider's clock is not accurate, you might
> want to use some other host (rdate -p host). It may be critical to some
> users to be able to do this.
?? If they only want to _know_ the time? Hmm.. why should this be critical?
Anyway, normal users could also use "systat --time <hostname>" or even
"telnet <hostname> 13".
> Users can run a personal httpd as an alternative to mailing a huge binary.
> You just mail a message telling the other end to retrieve the file via http.
> That applies even if your sysadmin is not interested in running a Web server.
But these are all special cases. _Normally_ it's not necessary to have
e.g. httpd in /usr/bin just because a single user _might_ use it under
certain (rare) circumstances. If something like this happens I'm adding
a symbolic link to my ~/bin directory (or /sbin:/usr/sbin to my path).
> As for smail, you avoid many problems if retrieve your mail using
> "popmail -c your.provider | /usr/sbin/rmail myname". That's something I do
> every day as a user.
That's not necessary. I changed the Debian popclient to use sendmail
with the correct options (it doesn't stop when it finds a single ".").
> I don't _want_ to change anything. I just happened to receive a bug
> report suggesting that I move a file from /usr/sbin to /usr/bin. When I
> answered that I did not agree and I closed the bug report, the user
> opened it again because he disagreed with me.
I have a similar problem :-).
> There are two solutions to this kind of
> conflicts: either it is left to the taste of each maintainer, which could
> lead to inconsistencies, or someone acts as an arbitrator. My intention
> was to open a discussion about this second possibility.
I think "taste" of maintainer is the wrong word. Take the net packages
as an example. I normally don't have my personal taste where binaries
have to live. If there is a case where the fsstnd is unclear I check
the following things:
- where do other Linux distributions have the binary
- where do other unix systems (especially newer ones) have the binary.
- does it run without problems when a user runs it "by accident"?
- does a user need it for scripts or something like that?
- How many percent (estimation) would use it. If 90% won't need it -> sbin
- is it necessary during boot time (/ or /usr)
Or if it is still unclear --> discuss it on debian-devel.
Thanks,
Peter
--
Peter Tobias EMail:
Fachhochschule Ostfriesland tobias@et-inf.fho-emden.de
Fachbereich Elektrotechnik und Informatik tobias@perseus.fho-emden.de
Constantiaplatz 4, 26723 Emden, Germany
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