Bug#3149: upgrading base truncates utmp
>>>>> "BP" == Bruce Perens <bruce@pixar.com> writes:
>> Also, I think the link /var/log/wtmp -> ../run/wtmp is wrong - wtmp
>> should be in /var/log, and the link is not needed. Or is there
>> a newer version of FSSTND where they moved these files again?
BP> Wtmp but not utmp?
If I remember the reasoning given in FSSTND correctly (I don't have my
copy here right now), wtmp is considered to be a log file since it
keeps track of all logons and logoffs. And it grows in time. So wtmp
goes into /var/log. On the other hand, utmp keeps track of the current
status of the system (who is on right now). Therefore, it is
considered to be more like the pid files which keep track of the
daemons running - which implies that it should be in /var/run.
Maybe that has been revised, though.
Cheers,
Lukas
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Lukas Nellen | Email: lukas@teorica0.ifisicacu.unam.mx
Depto. de Fisica Teorica, IFUNAM |
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