Re: NEVER remove log files without asking

[Steve Greenland <steveg@moregruel.net>]

On 16-Aug-04, 01:40 (CDT), "Jamin W. Collins" <jcollins@asgardsrealm.net> wrote: 
> On Sun, Aug 15, 2004 at 06:19:51PM -0500, Steve Greenland wrote:
> > 
> > I'd think that calling a directory /var/log/apache is a pretty big hint
> > that the apache package "owns" it, and anything under it is presumed to
> > be package data, not user data.
> 
> Incorrect, the apache package does *not* _own_ the contents of
> /var/log/apache, the system admin does.  If that admin puts _anything_
> in that directory for _whatever_ reason it should not be removed when
> the apache package is purged.

By that argument, NO packages should rm their log files when purged.
After all, the admins own /var/log, and they put files there, by their
choices in configuration files.

But they do get removed. Policy requires it: Section 10.8 says "Log
files should be removed when the package is purged."

The trouble is there are two POVs on this, and the package maintainers
are stuck between them. If they don't remove every last trace of a
package, including any directories, then they get bugs filed. When they
fix those bugs, then the other group files bugs.

I really don't have much sympathy here. A directory named
"/var/log/foo", created by the "foo" package, is pretty obviously not
a place to put files you want around permanently. In general, log
files are useful for trouble shooting, and are rotated and removed
on a regular basis. I don't see why apache's should be treated any
differently. If an admin want's permanent copies of a particular log
file, then they should take the responsibility to redirect it somewhere
else.

If enough people disagree with this, then we need to change policy so
that NO log files are to be removed. It's unreasonable to expect package
maintainers to be able to guess which log files are "important" and
which aren't, because no choice is going to make everyone, or even a
majority, happy.

Steve

-- 
Steve Greenland
    The irony is that Bill Gates claims to be making a stable operating
    system and Linus Torvalds claims to be trying to take over the
    world.       -- seen on the net