Re: Bug#388616: Can reports of serious policy violations be downgraded to important?

[Anthony DeRobertis <anthony@derobert.net>]

Marc Dequènes (Duck) wrote:
> Note for the release team: as explained by Toots, a failed upgrade
> cannot occur with a proper install. Then, we cannot guess what
> filesystem changes the sysadm decided and react accordingly, so removing
> the symlink, as it is first installed, is a mistake.

I'm not sure the admin modifying files in /etc, as he/she is supposed to
be allowed to do by Policy (and the FHS), can be considered anything
less than a proper install.

Personally, I find the commitment (codified in 10.7.3) to treating /etc,
and the system administrator's modifications to it, as sacred one of
Debian's strongest points. It makes administering Debian boxes
significantly more easy than distros which have taken other
approaches[0]. And it's normally so well and consistently done that I'm
quite surprised when it's violated.



[0] Like, say, one involving hats of colors only worn by Dr. Suess
characters.