Bug#301749: exim4 delays 30 sec when installing or removing

[Jason Spiro]

Marc Haber wrote:

>On Fri, Apr 08, 2005 at 10:53:44AM -0400, Jason Spiro wrote:
>  
>
>>Most users use the default DEBCONF_PRIORITY of "high" because they don't 
>>want to deal with things like exim-config.
>>    
>>
>
>I disagree with that. Most users leave debconf settings at their
>default.
>  
>
According to the installation manual (do a Google search for: default 
debconf_priority, then see the first result) the default priority is 
"high". Maybe it was different back in the days of boot-floppies.

>  
>
>>I believe that the majority 
>>of these users would prefer local delivery, and for all other exim 
>>options to be left as the defaults the postinst script currently 
>>suggests.
>>    
>>
>
>Please state why you believe so.
>  
>
I believe local delivery is fine for most users because if they use 
sudo, cron, etc. they will be able to
pick up messages sent by these apps easily using mailx or mutt. If not,
they can choose to have people send mail to their machine, or can use
fetchmail, or can use a POP3 client to read their mail directly off
their ISP's POP3 server. In all these cases, they'll be fine.

>>(This way, if they use sudo, cron, etc. they will be able to 
>>pick up messages sent by these apps easily using mailx or mutt. If not, 
>>they can choose to have people send mail to their machine, or can use 
>>fetchmail, or can use a POP3 client to read their mail directly off 
>>their ISP's POP3 server. In all these cases, they'll be fine.)
>>    
>>
>
>So you're basically saying what we do is fine?
>
>  
>
With all due respect, no.

>>People who want other options, e.g. a smarthost setup, can easily lower 
>>their DEBCONF_PRIORITY, but it would be kind to newbies and what I feel 
>>are the majority of non-Debian Developers to not ask them to go through 
>>the mailer config when they install Debian.
>>    
>>
>
>I disagree with that.
>
>Sorry, but I seem to be missing your actualy suggestion. Are you
>suggesting to move all exim4 configuration questions down in debconf
>priority?
>
>Most of our questions are at "medium" priority, which is documented as
>"Normal items that have reasonable defaults".
>
Then I am surprised I saw so many questions. I assume my priority was 
set at "high" like the webpage I cited above says is the default. I did 
not change it.

>If we move them down to
>"low", that would mean "Very trivial items that have defaults that
>will work in the vast majority of cases; only control freaks see
>these." Only the question for the configtype is asked at "critical"
>priority because this one question is _very_ important. Otherwise,
>only the query for the smarthost is asked at "high" priority for
>obvious reasons. I don't think that it is a good idea to hide mail
>configuration.
>  
>
I think it is a good idea to hide the configuration, at least at 
"critical" priority. *People should be able to choose "critical" 
priority and enjoy an easy install with sensible defaults.* I am not 
sure what the official definition for "critical" priority is, but local 
delivery will not break the system. Why not use local delivery, at least 
at critical priority?

Kind regards,
Jason