Re: Bug#59403: [PROPOSED] restrictions on content of /usr/share/doc
Hi,
I think this is a good idea. I temporarily withhold my second, to suggest
this:
>
> Date: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 18:01:14 PST
> To: submit@bugs.debian.org
> From: Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>
> Subject: Bug#59403: [PROPOSED] restrictions on content of /usr/share/doc
>
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> Package: debian-policy
> Severity: wishlist
>
> Summary:
>
> A proposal to limit the files that are placed in /usr/share/doc to those
> that are not referred to by any programs on the system.
>
> Rationale:
>
> 1. /usr/share/doc is showing signs of being used as a dumping ground for
> random files associated with a package. Three examples are the lintian
> override files, the Debian.bugtemplate files used by reportbug[1], and
> .dhelp files.
>
> 2. It's a repeated wishlist that /usr/share/doc be able to be done away
> with on low-disk space machines. This doesn't work extremely well yet since
> dpkg cannot be told to exclude files in /usr/share/doc (though it may one
> day), but it is reasonable to support people who link /usr/share/doc to
> /dev/null or remove it.
>
> Note that policy 6.7. already says, about files in
> /usr/share/doc/<package>/examples: "These files should not be referenced by
> any program--they're there for the benefit of the system administrator and
> users, as documentation only."
>
> Proposal:
>
> The following diff is against section 6.3:
>
> It is often a good idea to put text information files (`README's,
> changelogs, and so forth) that come with the source package in
> `/usr/share/doc/<package>' in the binary package. However, you don't
> need to install the instructions for building and installing the
> package, of course!
> +
> + Files in /usr/share/doc should not be referenced by any program, and
> + the system adminostrator should be able to delete them without causing any
> + programs to break.
+ Additionally, the system administrator should be able to say
[to debconf maybe?]
+ that files in /usr/share/doc never be installed, that they be
+ removed all at once or, having originally preferred same, that
+ they should be installed again from all packages that installs
+ such a dir.
> + Any files that are referenced by programs but are also
> + useful as standalone documentation should be installed under
> + /usr/share/<package>/ and symlinked to /usr/share/doc/<package>/.
-Jim
---
Jim Lynch Finger for pgp key
as Laney College CIS admin: jim@laney.edu http://www.laney.edu/~jim/
as Debian developer: jwl@debian.org http://www.debian.org/~jwl/
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