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

[Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com>]

Russ Allbery wrote:

> --- a/policy.sgml
> +++ b/policy.sgml
> @@ -6169,11 +6169,11 @@ install -m644 debian/shlibs.<var>package</var> debian/<var>package</var>/DEBIAN/
>  	  <heading>File System Structure</heading>
>  
>  	  <p>
> -	    The location of all installed files and directories must
> -	    comply with the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS),

This is a clear and unfortunately too narrow restriction on the
package.  I agree with you that if we could easily make it match the
intent that we all know in broad strokes, that would be worth doing
without much fuss.

[...]
> +	    The location of all files and directories must comply with the
> +	    Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)

Unfortunately, I don't think that matches the old intent.  This sounds
like a restriction on the admin.  I'm particularly worried that people
could use this as justification for packages assuming that all files
and directories comply with the FHS, instead of coping with the real
world --- for example, we have traditionally treated files placed by
admins as worth keeping, even when put in areas outside /usr/local,
/var/local, /home, and /opt, like /usr/share/doc/<package> alongside
the shipped docs.

So for what it's worth, without debugging I don't think this is a
non-normative change.

Hope that helps, and sorry for the lack of clarity before.

Sincerely,
Jonathan