[ Please don't Cc: public replies to me. ] =?iso-8859-1?Q?Nicol=E1s_Lichtmaier?=: > Having a directory /etc/defaults where packages can put scripts to set > environment variables... and /etc/profile would call run-parts on this > directory Something like this was suggested aeons ago (I think I was one of the people involved), complete with mechanisms to allow users to override or exclude some of the settings. A problem: it works only for a limited number of shells. Another: if the mechanism exists, packages will use it, and the more packages use it, the slower shell startup is, and the more resources it uses. In general its much better to have all programs work without special environment variables, aliases, or other settings that all users must have. In cases where this can't be done, README.debian (or some other suitable location) should explain how what settings are necessary, and the sysadmin should make the changes to /etc/profile, and other shell startup files (and ideally the program should refuse to start up if the settings have not been made). In cases where additional settings aren't necessary, merely nice, they should be mentioned in normal user documentation. Or at least this is the conclusion I have reached, after thinking about it and experimenting with various alternatives for some months. I won't oppose an /etc/defaults (though another, shell-specific name would be necessary), though I think it is a bad idea. -- Please read <http://www.iki.fi/liw/mail-to-lasu.html> before mailing me. Please don't Cc: me when replying to my message on a mailing list.
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