Re: Switching the default /bin/sh to dash
On Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 10:21:45PM -0500, Raphael Geissert wrote:
> I just noticed I forgot to say something:
> > What won't change:
> > * Bash will still be used as the default interactive shells for users
> * the sh symlink won't be modified on existing installations
I understand the concerns about not breaking existing scripts, but I'll
nevertheless be disappointed if this switch isn't made on upgrades as well.
Using bash as /bin/sh causes a number of subtle problems for shutdown
sequences, in addition to the obvious performance issues, and I think the
fix for non-POSIX shell scripts is straightforward enough that we should
just document the change (in the release notes and NEWS.Debian) and tell
users to use the right interpreter if they have any doubts about their
dash-compatibility.
We certainly make much more intrusive changes to the implementations of
other interpreters across releases, and while none of these have quite the
same penetration as /bin/sh, I think weighing the scope of the changes vs.
the number of scripts puts this on the same order as past updates to
/usr/bin/perl or /usr/bin/python.
--
Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer http://www.debian.org/
slangasek@ubuntu.com vorlon@debian.org
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