Re: How to consistently install a set of packages?

[Max Hyre <max@hyre.net>]

   Dear David:

On 06/06/2013 07:05 AM, Kailash wrote:
> I did some searching re UIDs and GIDs, and it appears that the
> adduser.conf file can be used to manage this behavior.
[...]
> So, perhaps all you need is a common script that does it for you.
> Please do refer to the policy manual re the allocation policy for
> Debian.
> http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-opersys.html#s9.2

   I believe Kailash has given you the answer; the referenced 
policy manual says:

-------------------- Begin extract --------------------
100-999:

   Dynamically allocated system users and groups. Packages
   which need a user or group, but can have this user or
   group allocated dynamically and differently on each
   system, should use adduser --system to create the group
   and/or user. ***adduser will check for the existence of
   the user or group, and if necessary choose an unused id
   based on the ranges specified in adduser.conf.***
-------------------- End extract ----------------------
[emphasis added :-)]

   This sounds like exactly what you want.  Set up your initial 
system, copy passwd, shadow, group, & gshadow (you probably want to 
use tar to simplify keeping owner & group correct), and install them 
on each of the other systems.  Then do your installs there, and 
don't worry about order, because ``adduser will check for the 
existence of the user or group'', and use the values already set up 
on the system.

   Thanks for raising this point, as I keep multiple user accounts 
for various activities (general, business, running a charity, ...), 
and have been editing the four files by hand to make them match 
across OS installations.  As Bill Nye doesn't say, ``Nooow I Know!''

--
	Best wishes,

		Max Hyre