Bug#267142: debian-policy: Sections 10.4 and 6.1 are inconsistent (Posix doesn't say what you think it says)

[Thomas Bushnell BSG <tb@becket.net>]

Clint Adams <schizo@debian.org> writes:

> I wouldn't mind if Debian prevented you from using "test -a" altogether,
> but you are not thusly prevented, and I don't argue that you should be
> prevented.
>
> I do think it's a violation of 10.4 for you to use in a #!/bin/sh script
> "test -a" without a path prepended.

Why?  Section 10.4 restricts my use of the shell; but "test" is a
Debian command, and not part of the shell specification at all.  And
if you say "but test is a builtin", then I respond, "but so debconf
might be, and that's clearly allowed."

But you can stick to your guns and say "debconf isn't allowed either".

Either way, section 10.4 is broken.
 
> I think you would be exercising poor judgment either by changing your
> shebang line to specify a specific shell with a "test" builtin or by
> prepending a path to "test" in order to use "test -a".

Well, I don't want to exercise poor judgment, so I won't do either;
I'll leave my package as is.  :)

The question however is not about "test -a"; it's a broader question,
which is why I 1) did not change my package when someone complained
about test -a, and 2) filed bug 267142 so that the situation can be
clarified.

Once it's clarified, I will of course fix my package to comply.  For
example, if we go with the list-of-shell method, and posh is in the
list, then of course I'll drop test -a.

Thomas