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Re: Putting default config files in /usr [was; (newbie) Disruptive LIRC package update.]



On Nov 11 2015, Marc Haber <mh+debian-devel@zugschlus.de> wrote:
> Once and for all we're doing _SOMETHING_ right, let's keep it that
> way.

I think what Debian is doing right is that it tracks and notifies about
changes in configuration files. But that doesn't mean we have
implemented it in the right (or best) way.

I think the desirable feature to keep is the notification when defaults
changed, not dumping documentation and default settings in /etc just so
that dpkg can notice when something changed.

Putting defaults in /usr, and having a separate tool that (on package
upgrade) checks if any defaults have changed sounds like a much better
approach, because such a tool could also pick up any change in compiled
in defaults.

Many programs already have an option to simply dump the complete
configuration (including default values). For these programs, it should
be enough to save the dump somewhere after installation, and compare it
with the previous dump after upgrade.


(I'm going to be quiet after this email because I'm not going to work on
this).


Best,
-Nikolaus

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