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Bug#83072: [PROPOSED] tightening up the ban on /usr/X11R6 in packages



Package: debian-policy
Version: 3.2.1.2
Severity: wishlist

The forbids all non-imake using programs from sticking their files in
/usr/X11R6.

Imake is excepted because programs using it (if they are coded correctly,
at least) rely wholly on the X library development files to figure out the
paths they should install their files into.  Therefore, in the event any
transition to another directory is necessary, they may do so with a simple
recompile against the version of xlibs-dev that makes the appropriate
change(s).

Programs using the GNU autotools are easily configured to install files
into different paths.

--- policy.sgml.orig	Sun Jan 21 14:48:38 2001
+++ policy.sgml	Sun Jan 21 15:50:53 2001
@@ -6129,38 +6129,40 @@
 	
 	<p>
 	  <em>Packages using the X Window System should abide by the FHS
-	    standard whenever possible</em>; they should install binaries,
-	  libraries, manual pages, and other files in FHS-mandated
-	  locations wherever possible.  This means that files must
-	  not be installed into <tt>/usr/X11R6/bin/</tt>,
-	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/</tt>, or <tt>/usr/X11R6/man/</tt> unless
-	  this is necessary for the package to operate properly.
-	  Configuration files for window managers and display managers
-	  should be placed in a subdirectory of <tt>/etc/X11/</tt>
-	  corresponding to the package name due to these programs'
-	  tight integration with the mechanisms of the X Window
-	  System.  Application-level programs should use the
-	  <tt>/etc/</tt> directory unless otherwise mandated by
-	  policy.  The installation of files into subdirectories of
-	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/include/X11/</tt> and
-	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/</tt> is permitted but discouraged;
-	  package maintainers should determine if subdirectories of
-	  <tt>/usr/lib/</tt> and <tt>/usr/share/</tt> can be used
-	  instead (symlinks from the X11R6 directories to
-	  FHS-compliant locations is encouraged if the program is not
-	  easily configured to look elsewhere for its files).
-	  Packages must not provide -- or install files into -- the
-	  directories <tt>/usr/bin/X11/</tt>,
-	  <tt>/usr/include/X11/</tt>, or <tt>/usr/lib/X11/</tt>.
-	  Files within a package should, however, make reference to
-	  these directories, rather than their X11R6-named
+	  standard whenever possible</em>; they should install binaries,
+	  libraries, manual pages, and other files in FHS-mandated locations
+	  wherever possible.  This means that files must not be installed into
+	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/bin/</tt>, <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/</tt>, or
+	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/man/</tt> unless they use the <tt>imake</tt> program to
+	  configure themselves before compilation.  Configuration files for
+	  window managers and display managers should be placed in a
+	  subdirectory of <tt>/etc/X11/</tt> corresponding to the package name
+	  due to these programs' tight integration with the mechanisms of the X
+	  Window System.  Application-level programs should use the
+	  <tt>/etc/</tt> directory unless otherwise mandated by policy.  The
+	  installation of files into subdirectories of
+	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/include/X11/</tt> and <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/</tt> is
+	  discouraged; package maintainers should determine if subdirectories of
+	  <tt>/usr/lib/</tt> and <tt>/usr/share/</tt> can be used instead
+	  (symlinks from the X11R6 directories to FHS-compliant locations is
+	  encouraged if the program is not easily configured to look elsewhere
+	  for its files).  Packages must not provide -- or install files into --
+	  the directories <tt>/usr/bin/X11/</tt>, <tt>/usr/include/X11/</tt>, or
+	  <tt>/usr/lib/X11/</tt>.  Files within a package should, however, make
+	  reference to these directories, rather than their X11R6-named
 	  counterparts <tt>/usr/X11R6/bin/</tt>,
-	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/include/X11/</tt>, and
-	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/</tt>, if the resources being
-	  referred to have not been moved to FHS-compliant locations.
+	  <tt>/usr/X11R6/include/X11/</tt>, and <tt>/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/</tt>, if
+	  the resources being referred to have not been moved to FHS-compliant
+	  locations.
+	  <footnote>
+	    The rationale for this policy is to provide Debian with an easy
+	    transition strategy should we, or the FHS, elect to phase out the
+	    <tt>/usr/X11R6/</tt> directory, or if it is superseded by, e.g.,
+	    <tt>/usr/X11R7/</tt>.
+	  </footnote>
 	</p>
 
- 	<p>
+	<p>
 	  <em>Programs that require the non-DFSG-compliant OSF/Motif
 	    library</em> should be compiled against and tested with
 	  LessTif (a free re-implementation of Motif) instead.  If the

-- 
G. Branden Robinson             |    Communism is just one step on the long
Debian GNU/Linux                |    road from capitalism to capitalism.
branden@debian.org              |    -- Russian saying
http://www.debian.org/~branden/ |

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