[csw-maintainers] CSWcswclassutils: it wants to write in /usr

[Gary Law]

2009/12/22 Sebastian Kayser <skayser at opencsw.org>:
>>>> What about things like CSWexim, and presumably CSWpostfix that might
>>>> move /usr/lib/sendmail out of the way as part of the postinstall.
>>>> CSWexim uses a prompt to handle this and has allows you to skip it.
>>> They might but needn't and maybe shouldn't.
>>
>> +1
>
> What's the alternative then? Don't do anything, put instructions in
> README.CSW and let the user do whatever he wants/needs to do?

I would really not expect a CSW install to move, delete or link things
that are already in /usr/lib. Especially something as core to many
admins assumptions as sendmail. It just doesn't follow the 'least
surprise' approach, never mind the 'nothing in /usr' policy. What if I
have a working sendmail setup I'm happy with, but want to test CSW
sendmail or exim or postfix? I'd be very unhappy if something came
along and blatted default sendmail.

Perhaps I'm in a minority of one on this.

As for alternatives, a big fat message echoing to the console on
install would be handy, and the documentation you suggest explaining
why the link might be needed in some cases, but I don't think it
should be automatically created. There's perhaps a case for creating
the link if /usr/lib doesn't already have a sendmail in it, but I'd
prefer it didn't*.

Gary


* And of course the link could point to the newly proposed alternative
selection mechanism, for those crazy admins who want the full
selection of available CSW MTAs installed.

-- 
glaw at opencsw.org