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Re: On merging bin and sbin



On 28/02/24 19:08, Peter Pentchev wrote:
On Wed, Feb 28, 2024 at 08:47:48AM -0600, rhys@neoquasar.org wrote:
From: Gioele Barabucci <gioele@svario.it>

This is a quick'n'dirty list of binaries present in both /bin and /sbin:

arping bin net/iputils-arping sbin net/arping (+ Conflicts:)

Are any of these (like arping) literally duplicates of the same binary for some reason? Or are they true conflicts (different binaries with the same name)?

I don't know about many of the others (although I have my suspicions), but
the two programs that just happen to both be called arping are not
the same at all: they have different functionality, conflicting
command-line options, etc.

And that is one of issues.

Without looking, could you say which package installs `arping` in /bin and make it available for non-root users?

Policy also has a couple of things to say. For example https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-files.html#binaries

Two different packages must not install programs with different
functionality but with the same filenames
That can (should?) be interpreted as "no same basename". Otherwise root will face and ambiguous choice between the one in /bin and the one in /sbin.

In any case, many of these clashes are known. This is why some of these packages declare Conflicts: with each other. However...

Be aware that adding Conflicts is normally not the best solution when
two packages provide the same files. Depending on the reason for that
conflict, using alternatives or renaming the files is often a better
approach.
https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#conflicting-binary-packages-conflicts

Regards,

--
Gioele Barabucci


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