[Fedora-packaging] does removing a package also remove package data?

John Dennis jdennis at redhat.com
Wed Nov 18 18:02:53 UTC 2009


On 11/18/2009 12:49 PM, Rex Dieter wrote:
> On 11/18/2009 11:44 AM, Tom Lane wrote:
>> John Dennis<jdennis at redhat.com> writes:
>>> My inclination is the packaging guidelines should encourage the removal
>>> of data files generated by the package when the package is removed.
>>
>> In the case of the database packages the longstanding policy is the
>> opposite. I can see encouraging packagers to remove orphaned preference
>> or configuration files, but not potentially-high-value user data.
>
> whole-heartedly agree, it's something that really is best managed on a
> case-by-case basis (probably one reason why it's not in the
> guidelines... yet).

Both Rex and Tom immediately converged on exactly the issue I was 
thinking about, database style packages.

I can see a strong argument for preserving the content after package 
removal, if this is the precedence I think the guidelines should at 
least state this, but permit per-package interpretation as opposed to 
enforcing a mandate.

However I can also see a strong argument for wanting a package to clean 
up after itself so that a user does not have to find every place a 
package has written files, which in many instances is not so easy to 
discern. The principle of least surprise might suggest removing a 
package removes everything associated with the package.

-- 
John Dennis <jdennis at redhat.com>

Looking to carve out IT costs?
www.redhat.com/carveoutcosts/




More information about the Fedora-packaging mailing list