PW#6-2: Absolute and relative symbolic links
[This mail is part of Debian Policy Weekly issue #6]
Topic 2: Absolute and relative symbolic links
STATE: APPROVAL
Current policy reads (section 3.3.5):
``Most symbolic links should be relative, not absolute.
[...]
In particular, symbolic links from one part of /usr to another
should be relative.
In certain cases, however, relative links may cause more
problems. For example, links into /etc and /var should be
absolute.''
If some discussion on debian-policy, we had a consensus about changing this
into something like the following text. If there are no objections, I'll do
so with the next release of the Policy Manual.
In general, symbolic links within a toplevel directory should be
relative, and symbolic links pointing from one toplevel directory
into another should be absolute. (A toplevel directory is a
sub-directory of the root directory `/'.)
In addition, symbolic links should be specified as short as
possible, i.e., link targets like `foo/../bar' are depreciated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-policy-request@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org
Reply to: