Re: /var/mail back to /var/spool/mail

[tytso@mit.edu]

   Date: Tue, 02 Jun 1998 13:35:25 -0400
   From: Bryan Andregg <bandregg@redhat.com>

   1. Saying that the move to /var/mail can be solved with a symlink is wrong.

	   The FHS states that the old location needs to be replaced with the 
   symlink and the files moved to the new location. This makes an upgrade 
   impossible where daemons (notably sendmail) are concerned.

First of all, there are a number of easy way of moving the directory.
If /var and /var/spool are on the same partition, moving the directory
and creating the symlink right away should work just fine.  If they
aren't on the same filesystem, the easist way to do the upgrade is to
install a self-deleting script in /etc/rc.d/init.d which moves the
directory and then installs the compatibility symlink.  That way the
next time you reboot the directory is automatically moved.  Until the
directory is moved, you have a symlink pointing the other way (from
/var/mail to /var/spool/mail).

Also, as far as I'm concerned, what is most important about the FHS is
what application programs should assume about where to find certain
directory.  So as long as all new programs are configured to look in
/var/mail, I don't really care whether the directory is really there, or
whether /var/mail is a symlink to /var/spool/mail, or perhaps even
/u3/mail.

People running large systems may very well decide to repoint /var/mail
to some other partition; this doesn't matter, as long as you have the
symlink in place and all the application programs know to look at the
same place (/var/mail).

   3. There isn't a good reason to go to /var/mail.

	   Other than trying to appease a smaller number of users into
   respecting the FHS the previous standard and one which people will
   continue to use for some time is going to be /var/spool/mail.

The reason for going to /var/mail is to compatible with the other Unix
systems in the world.  Getting rid of #ifdef Linux in people's programs
is a *good* thing.

					- Ted


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