Package modifying a user-modified config file? [Bug #780797]

[Chris Knadle <Chris.Knadle@coredump.us>]

At present the openssh-server and openssh-client packages are
altering /etc/ssh/ssh_config and /etc/ssh/sshd_config without
prompting the user beforehand, even when they've been locally
modified.  I've pointed section § 10.7.3 of Debian Policy:

   • local changes must be preserved during a package upgrade

   (Appendix E also discusses this which I saw later)

however the argument being made now is that "the particular section
of the config being altered wasn't changed by the user".

I have a problem with this argument because if a config file is changed
on the user without prompting even after modification, that means that
the user has lost control over their own config files unless they've
altered /every/ setting... and there are yes/no settings in those files.

This is the current bug (severity serious):

   https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=780797

and the changes made were requested in a wishlist bug:

   https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=765633

  -- Chris

-- 
Chris Knadle
Chris.Knadle@coredump.us