Re: Purging database packages

[Scott Hanson <shanson@kirby.shcon.com>]

"Oliver Elphick" <olly@lfix.co.uk> writes:
> When a database package is purged, the implication is that the data stored
> in the database should also be deleted.  Therefore I have added the
> instructions to delete the data to postgresql's postrm.
> 
> However, since it is possible to flag whole groups of packages for purging
> when using dselect, I feel I ought to protect users against inadvertently
> destroying their data - the package can easily be reinstalled, but no-one
> else can recreate the data.
> 
> Therefore I have made the postrm script interactive:
>
...snip...
> 
> Now, section 2.3.8 of the Policy Manual states that we should minimise 
> interactive prompting while installing; it does not even contemplate the
> idea of prompting in the removal scripts.
> 
> So I have these policy questions:
> 
> 1. Is it OK to put interactive prompting in the removal scripts?
> 
> 2. To what extent should we try to protect users from the consequences of
>    their own (possibly inadvertent) actions?
> 
> 3. Should there be policy on this matter for database packages in particular?
> 
> The reason for particularly mentioning databases, is that they can contain
> huge amounts of valuable data.  Accidentally destroying this data could
> be disastrous.

For what it's worth, the mysql postrm script similarly prompts the
user whether the databases should be deleted when purging the package,
and I think that such a prompt is appropriate for cases like this..

Scott

-- 
Scott Hanson <shanson@shcon.com>  <shanson@debian.org>
Johmsweg 9, D-21266 Jesteburg, Germany


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