Bug#618885: sasl2-bin: unowned files after purge (policy 6.8, 10.8)

[Holger Levsen]

Hi,

On Sonntag, 24. April 2011, Roberto C. Sánchez wrote:
> On Sun, Apr 24, 2011 at 09:51:17AM +0200, Holger Levsen wrote:
> > On Samstag, 23. April 2011, Roberto C. Sánchez wrote:
> > > This is not a bug.
> > 
> > Yeah, right. It's not a bug because you dont care about policy which says
> > you must purge the package on purge.
> 
> Yes well, I'm sure you would appreciate it if, for example, purging
> postgresql also removed /var/lib/postgesql.  I would not appreciate it,
> that much is for certain.  That is, unless I specifically told the
> package that it was OK to do so.
> 
> But then again, I guess you decided not to read the rest of my email
> where I point out that the adminitrator is *asked just such a question*
> in the case of /etc/sasldb2.

I read it. And think its wrong.
 
> > I'm glad most of the 18000 source packages respect policy.
> 
> And this one does respect policy.  It is only when it cannot obtain an
> answer from the admin on the disposition of /etc/sasldb2 that it errs on
> the side of caution and leaves the file untouched. 

I think every package should err on the side of policy. If you think policy 
should be different, go and try to change policy. 

> The admin can always
> trivially remove it later.  Restoring the file may not be so
> straightforward.

not purging in the first place is very simple. and, "the trivial way to remove 
it later" is, doh, to purge, not to remove. bingo.


cheers,
	Holger