Re: Bug#787571: How about transferring /etc/mime.types from mime-support to base-files.

[Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es>]

On Wed, Jun 03, 2015 at 07:06:54AM +0900, Charles Plessy wrote:
> Package: base-files
> Severity: wishlist
> X-Debbugs-CC: debian-devel@lists.debian.org
> 
> Dear Santiago,
> 
> the mime-support package that I maintain can be thought of two compontents:
> 
>  - the /etc/mime.types file, that is parsed directly by some indepentent packages
>    such as apache2, and
> 
>  - the mailcap system, with its executables, its configuration files, its dpkg
>    triggers, etc...
> 
> I am currently planning to separate these components and one possibility would
> be to have a single package for /etc/mime.types, that would track the one in
> Fedora's Git repository.  I detailed this in <https://bugs.debian.org/786889>.
> 
> Alternatively, we could ship this file in base-files, since it is among these
> traditional Unix files that one always expects to be available.  But it has
> frequent updates, to it may be extra work for you.
> 
> What do you think about this ?

Your proposal would make the file to be essential, because base-files
is essential.

In general, I don't like non-essential files becoming essential unless
they are really essential to the system, which I think it is a
property this file does not have (mime-support is currently "standard",
not even "important" or "required").

I've applied this rationale before. See Bug#745876 for an example.


OTOH, mime-support is really small. If I was the maintainer, I would
not split it, but this is up to you.


To summarize: Because this would imply a change in the essentialness
of the file, I don't think it would be a good idea.

Thanks.