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

[Nicolas Mailhot]

Le Ven 2 mars 2007 12:08, Laurent Rineau a écrit :

> 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,

The FHS states clearly:
« Any information that [...] varies with time is stored elsewhere. »

If a file doesn't vary with time it will be identical to the initial rpm
file deployment and has no need of %config. End of demonstration
(a config file that does not change is not a config file it's a static
resource)

The reason being that in addition to the /usr as a read-only network share
(rw on the hosting server) case you focus on you have the /usr as a
read-only rom volume case (also live CDs, etc). Also backup systems are
not supposed to examine /usr for customizations.

That does not mean every existing package is compliant (though the reason
why we have a working multiuser system and windows not is we mostly apply
our own guidelines). What it does mean is every package using %config in
/usr should be examined on a case-by-case basis and a path to removing
this %config agreed on.

[X has always been a major special case, not a packaging example to
emulate even ignoring the fact core fonts are a legacy part of it. xorg is
not finished cleaning up the codebase in inherited from xfree86]

-- 
Nicolas Mailhot