The FHS /usr song (was: Core packages are using %config for files being installed under /usr)

Laurent Rineau laurent.rineau__fedora_extras at normalesup.org
Fri Mar 2 11:08:38 UTC 2007


On Friday 02 March 2007 11:46:52 Axel Thimm wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 02, 2007 at 11:26:40AM +0100, Laurent Rineau wrote:
> > On Friday 02 March 2007 11:17:53 Axel Thimm wrote:
> > > On Fri, Mar 02, 2007 at 08:43:19AM +0100, Laurent Rineau wrote:
> > > > On Friday 02 March 2007 04:32:13 Ralf Corsepius wrote:
> > > > > >  "/usr is the second major section of the filesystem. /usr is
> > > > > >  shareable, read-only data.
> > > > >
> > > > > At one point in time, at "use-time".
> > > > >
> > > > > This doesn't mean the data on /usr is inaccessible to a maintainer,
> > > > > nor does this mean /usr to be "vendor-exclusive", nor does this
> > > > > mean /usr not to be customizable.
> > > >
> > > > I agree with Ralf. A read-only filesystem is not read-only for the
> > > > system administrator: it can be turned read-write during
> > > > administration stages, for upgrades and configurations.
> > > >
> > > > Axel, do you agree with that? What is *really* your rational against
> > > > %config in /usr?
> > >
> > > Whether *I* agree with that or not (FWIW I don't) is completely
> > > irrelevant, the quote is from the FHS, not me, and we follow the FHS.
> >
> > What is wrong is your understanding of the FSH. Re-read Ralf's messages.
>
> Repeat after me with a gospel like preaching:
>
> a) "/usr is [...] read-only data."
> b) "[...] /usr [...] must not be written to."
> c) "Any information that is host-specific ..."
>      The chorus in the background with a higher pitch:
>      "~ and that includes configuration ~"
>     "[...] is stored elsewhere."

I quote below the FHS version 2.3, given at 
http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.pdf

===== quote =====
Chapter 4. The /usr Hierarchy

4.1. Purpose

/usr is the second major section of the filesystem. /usr is shareable, 
read-only data. That means that /usr
should be shareable between various FHS-compliant hosts and must not be 
written to. Any information that is
host-specific or varies with time is stored elsewhere.
Large software packages must not use a direct subdirectory under the /usr 
hierarchy.
===== end of quote =====

>From the sentence "Any information that is host-specific or varies with time is 
stored elsewhere.", how could you understand that *sitewise* configuration 
files must be in /etc?!

What is more, I quote the title of the section about /etc:
  "3.7. /etc : Host-specific system configuration"

Here again, /etc/ is for host-specific stuff. So, sharable config files, that 
are not be written to by the system, can go into /usr/, and should not be 
in /etc (even the FSH states precisely that /etc is for host-specific stuff).

I really what a discussion. You may convince me and Ralf. But give good 
reasons. AS far as I understand, the FSH does not state that sitewise config 
files cannot be in /usr, and as far as I understand, the FSH states that 
sitewise config could not be in /etc (be cause /etc is host specific).
What is wrong with my interpretation?

-- 
Laurent Rineau
http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/LaurentRineau




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