Bug#638060: debian-policy: §9.1.1: FHS should also be a "must" for generated files

[Carsten Hey <carsten@debian.org>]

* Axel Beckert [2011-08-16 23:33 +0200]:
> Besides the location of installed and generated files, their behaviour
> should also comply to the FHS, i.e., programs like apt must not fail
> if /var/cache/* is removed. On the other hand, local debian packages
> for propritary software generated by scripts shipped in a Debian
> package do not need to comply to the FHS. It is not clear where to
> draw the line between these extremes, for example, would a script that
> installs a software to a non-standard location (e.g., because upstream
> has weird opinions about such things) after asking the user to confirm
> this be allowed in Debian? Depending on a consensus to the former
> question, the above sentence could be adapted or extended.

One way to draw the line between allowed and forbidden FHS violations
could be:

Packaged programs and scripts must adhere to the FHS, unless the user
was previously asked for confirmation, or he or she explicitly requested
such a FHS violation by running a command that is expected to ignore the
FHS, for example one that creates a Debian package of a third party
software which is commonly installed to non-standard locations.


Carsten