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

[Clint Adams <schizo@debian.org>]

> 	But if you doi want to run it, this is it,, end of story. So,
>  now for when we want to merely test for presence.

Perhaps if you want to test for multiple commands before executing them?

> 	So what? Who the hell is the postinst to tell me what I should
>  or should not be doing with my machine? When I change the command on

Apparently if you have zsh as /bin/sh and try to install xdm, the
postinst will happily tell you what version of debianutils to install to
get readlink.

>  my machines, by gar, stupid postsinst should follow suit. Where does
>  this overweening sense of the postinst always being right, the human
>  who has changed the environment always is wrong coming from? This is
>  certainly not the UNIX philosophy. 

If you wanted to replace the update-menus command, you would have much
more success by dpkg-diverting it rather than putting your replacement
in /usr/local/bin.

I don't believe anything guarantees that the latter will work, whereas
the former is a good bet.

> 	Silly, since A is the correct answer, but what the heck do you
>  mean it is not standardized?  POSIX is a standard, you know, and it
>  has indeed standardized this. 

It has not.  The closest POSIX comes to which is to mention that it came
from csh.

> 	If we do not need to run the command, this is the
>  answer. which is provided by an essential package. which has a well
>  known standard behaviour.

Does it?  Last I checked the manpage did not accurately reflect the
actual behavior.
> 
> 	If builtin which does not follow POSIX, file a bug.

First you'll need to get it into POSIX.


> 	Silly, since either A or E would do the trick.

For all Bournish shells in Debian of which I am aware, yes.

> 	Oh yeah, the Not Invented Here syndrome. POSIX exists, and
>  works for everyone else except Debian.

Branden, for example, does not appear to be pleased with the options
POSIX provides him.

> 	Can we please take this silly thread off policy now? 

I imagine that amending policy would help that end.


-- 
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-policy-request@lists.debian.org
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org