Re: RFC: allow output from maintainer scripts
joeyh@debian.org (Joey Hess) wrote on 24.10.00 in <20001024152000.A21606@kitenet.net>:
> Brian May wrote:
> > How about something like this:
> >
> > Messages should only be displayed on the console if:
> >
> > - it represents a slow task, eg compiling modules (emacs) or compiling
> > ls-R files (latex). Of course, this is a subjective criteria... What
> > is a "slow" task?
>
> Policy explictly says you should NOT output things to "stave off boredom
> on the part of a user". Displaying stuff for tasks that may be slow on
> my 386 clearly falls under that.
I'd use that description for outputting dots, and even then I'd be pretty
doubtful about that requirement.
This is not to stave off boredom, this is to explain what the hell is
taking so long.
> > - it represents a task that alters the state of the computer, eg
> > starting a daemon, or changing a config file. Obviously, this could be
> > debated...
>
> Nearly everything a postinst script does alters the state of the
> computer.
Still, *some* of those changes (like starting demons) are important.
MfG Kai
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