Bug#333862: debian-policy: Policy forbids account creation

[Matt Zimmerman <mdz@debian.org>]

On Fri, Oct 14, 2005 at 10:07:04AM +0200, Marc Haber wrote:
> Package: debian-policy
> Version: 3.6.2.1
> Severity: normal
> 
> Policy 9.2.1 says:
> Packages other than base-passwd must not modify /etc/passwd,
> /etc/shadow, /etc/group or /etc/gshadow.
> 
> This makes, for example, the passwd package RC buggy since useradd
> modifies /etc/passwd. Also exim4 is RC buggy since its maintainer
> scripts modify /etc/passwd by calling adduser which in turn calls
> useradd which in turn modifies /etc/passwd while not belonging to
> base-passwd.
> 
> The section in the policy should say
> Packages other than base-passwd must not modify /etc/passwd,
> /etc/shadow, /etc/group or /etc/gshadow directly from their maintainer
> scripts.

The usage is consistent with other parts of policy; to talk about a package
which performs some action is different from a package which contains
programs which perform the action.

-- 
 - mdz