Re: Package maintainer script policy.
Hi,
>>"Raul" == Raul Miller <rdm@test.legislate.com> writes:
Raul> Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@datasync.com> wrote:
>> We are talking about a general policy here; and I do not think
>> we can make ad hoc generalizations about quality control like this. I
>> am not willing to vote for a draconian policy proscribing binaries in
>> postinst based on shaky grounds like this.
>>
>> Are there better reasons?
Raul> Did you miss that by examining the object code of that postinst script
Raul> I found that it violated policy (does not respect $PATH when calling
Raul> ldconfig)?
This is a particular example, and moreever, one that is not
correct, as has been pointed out. One does not make policy based on
one (flawed) example.
Raul> However, I also argue that scripts which use /bin/sh or /usr/bin/perl
Raul> are easier to maintain (and audit, and get working right) than C code.
Depends on the person coding it. If you do not know perl/
shell scripting, but are a C guru, things can be cvery
different. Nothing that deserves to go into the policy so far.
Raul> I'd argue that that a dynamically linked executable has *NO* reliability
Raul> advantage over a script. Both can be knocked out if the libraries they
Raul> need are not present.
OK. But no disadvantage either. Again, nothing to base a policy
of exclusion on.
Raul> So what we have here is one package which introduces extra complexity
Raul> and bulk for no gain. And, by the way, it's buggy, but this is not
Raul> immediately obvious from looking at it because of this extra complexity
Raul> and bulk.
You are still talking particulars. Yes, a postinst may be
buggy, script or exec. Nothing can be generalized from that
statement. (Is this the same bug that turns out not to be a bug? Or
something else?). Again, nothing to base a policy decision on.
Raul> How good of a reason do you need?
Any good, general reason would do. I have found none in this
message.
If I find a bug in a C program, I don't go asking for a policy
to exclude all C programs from the system. How is what you are asking
any different, as far as this message goes?
manoj
--
"Let's not be too tough on our own ignorance. It's the thing that
makes America great. If America weren't incomparably ignorant, how
could we have tolerated the last eight years?" Frank Zappa, Feb 1,
1989
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
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