Re: RFD: Essential packages, /, and /usr

[Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org>]

>>"Branden" == Branden Robinson <branden@debian.org> writes:

 Branden> On Sun, Jun 16, 2002 at 10:00:31PM -0500, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
 >>>> A list of criteria other than "just run for F in $(grep-available -F
 >>>> Essential -s Package yes | awk '{print $2}'); do dpkg -L $F | egrep
 >>>> '^/s?bin/.'; done", that is.
 >> 
 >> Sounds like a fine criteria to me. Any particular reason this
 >> is not good enough? 

 Branden> It changes over time.  Additions are arguably not a problem at all;
 Branden> removals can be.

	Actually, adding to the utility set could be an issue,
 especially for low memory (ipaq/Zaurus, anyone?) or embedded
 systems. But I am not sure we can codify the various (and fluidly
 changing) criteria well enough to warrant undertaking the task. 

 Branden> I'd *still* rather see us *document* our collective wisdom
 Branden> with respect to what "minimal" means.

	I am not sure we have anything except that every case needs to
 be decided on the merits, and several dozen factors may affect the
 decision, including a judgment of the mix of constituencies (embedded
 systems, internet appliances, newbie systems, developer boxes ...),
 the personal judgement of the ``typical'' size of the root file
 system, the cost of increasing the size (and I do not just mean
 monetary costs here), and the relative benefit for adding a utility
 to or removing one from the ``minimal'' set, how useful would it be
 in a disaster recovery scenario.

 Branden> Is anybody particularly cheesed off that Decklin Foster put
 Branden> nc in /bin?

	Not me personally. I looked at the size (~19kB), and the
 feature set, and I saw can see scenarios in which a small network
 aware tool would be helpful in diagnosis (low probability ones,
 though). I can, however, see how one could use that during the boot
 process. I do wish this had been discussed first.

 Branden> If not, what rules of thumb should we be using?

	Does this meet your size criteria for fitting in /? Would it
 be acceptable for embedded systems? Does it need to be in /? Does it
 need to help in recovering the system? Does the packages using this
 utility have to be that early in the boot sequence? 

 Branden> Obviously the X server falls on the other side of the line.
 Branden> Where is the line?

	There well may not be any hard and fast ``line''. Judgment and
 common sense of developers are things we always have had to depend
 on. 

	manoj
-- 
 "They make a desert and call it peace." Tacitus (55?-120?)
Manoj Srivastava   <srivasta@debian.org>  <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
1024R/C7261095 print CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05  CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B  924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C


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