Bug#865284: init-system-helpers: fill /etc with irrelevant directories ; init specific files should be not be installed on systems not using these

[Mathieu Roy]

Package: init-system-helpers
Version: 1.48
Severity: minor

Hello,

Since upgrade to Debian 9.0, I noticed exists now
/etc/rc0.d etc

These directories did not exists before because I do not use sysv-rc but openrc.

This, in addition to /etc/systemd, which I do not use either, create
unnecessary confusion.

As far I understand, /etc contains "Host-specific system
configuration"
(http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#ETCHOSTSPECIFICSYSTEMCONFIGURATION)

I think it is misleading to force config presence from non-installed and unused
software to cohabit with installed and used one. That is clearly not
"host-specific". 
To the next sysadmin, it might give the idea that the system is ready for
any init system seemlingly configured while it is only really properly set up for one.

I suggest that directories in /etc specific to some init be installed
only if it is actually on the system.

So :
/etc/rc*.d should be provided by some init-system-helpers-sysv-rc
/etc/systemd by some init-system-helpers-systemd

and these subpackages should not be essential and installed everywhere, but
suggested and depended upon only by init that requires them  (so far,
sysv-rc systemd).

Or you drop the essential character of the package.

/etc would be such a mess if every possible software installed on a
Debian system had directories there just in case.
I am sure many sysadmin prefers to have only necessary/required and
cross-checked configuration in /etc, not sample of whatever possible.

Thanks for your attention,


-- System Information:
Debian Release: 9.0
  APT prefers stable
  APT policy: (990, 'stable'), (500, 'oldstable')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 4.9.0-3-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=fr_FR.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE=fr_FR.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Init: sysvinit (via /sbin/init)

Versions of packages init-system-helpers depends on:
ii  perl-base  5.24.1-3

init-system-helpers recommends no packages.

init-system-helpers suggests no packages.

Versions of packages init-system-helpers is related to:
ii  insserv  1.14.0-5.4+b1

-- no debconf information