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Re: Switching /bin/sh to dash without dash essential



>>>>> "Siggy" == Siggy Brentrup <debian@psycho.i21k.de> writes:
8
    >> I agree we want to move the default /bin/sh to /bin/dash.
    >> However I'm failing to understand why we want dash to be
    >> essential.  If I'm not using dash as my /bin/sh why do I need
    >> it?

    Siggy> So you are complaining about a small package (installed
    Siggy> size 224) becoming essential while forcing the embedded ppl
    Siggy> to work around a monster (installed size 1236); numbers
    Siggy> taken from my Ubuntu laptop where both are essential, I
    Siggy> hope only for a limited period of time.  
Hmm.
I don't get any complaint about /bin/dash being the default system shell from my mail.
Nor do you see me complaining about having /bin/sh scripts be posixly correct.

    >> If the answer is that we really do want it everywhere
    >> independent of what /bin/sh is, that's fine.  However, that's
    >> not obvious to me.

    Siggy> As long as /bin/sh refuses extensions to posix I agree with
    Siggy> you, but bashism has been a cuss word for years before
    Siggy> 2004.

I don't understand how this has anything to do with anything I said.

    Siggy> Maybe "posixly-correct-shell" would be a better name.

    Siggy> Summing up you suggest making a virtual package - 

No.  I suggest a package with no files but with pre-depends and the
essential flag.  I don't think a virtual package would work correctly
at a technical level, although I'd be happy to be shown to be wrong.

    Siggy> however
    Siggy> it's called - essential.  While I think I grok your
    Siggy> intentions, I doubt dpkg will follow, please read
    Siggy> carefully:

    Siggy>   http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-binary.html#s3.8

Read that long ago and read that word for word just now.
Can you help me understand what I'm missing?
I don't see how what I'm proposing would violate that.


    >> I really don't mind if we go forward with the current proposal.
    >> However, I think I and a lot of other people would appreciate
    >> clarity, so far not expressed, about why dash needs to be
    >> essential.

    Siggy> See debian-policy cited above.

Again, please help me understand how what I propose would violate policy.


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