Message-Id: <200001141714.MAA12742@mixing.qc.dfo.ca>
To: Mitch Blevins <mblevin@debian.org>, Brian White <bcwhite@pobox.com>,
        submit@bugs.debian.org
cc: Peter S Galbraith <GalbraithP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>
Subject: I think /etc/init.d/powerfail shouldn't be a conffile
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 12:14:47 -0500
From: Peter S Galbraith <GalbraithP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>


Package: powstatd
Version: 1.4.1-3

Hello Mitch and Brian,

I maintain the ups-monitor powstatd and something occurred to me
about /etc/init.d/powerfail.  The bpowerd, genpower and powstatd
all have /etc/init.d/powerfail as a conffile.  When a user tries
installing these packages to see which is best for his UPS, he
might inadvertently use the powerfail script from another
package.

For example:

 - I install powstatd.
 - I remove (but not purge powstatd).
 - I install genpower.
    - if I don't install the package's /etc/init.d/powerfail, I
       use the one from powstatd
 - Suppose I select to keep the package's /etc/init.d/powerfail
 - Then I remove genpower and re-install powstatd
    - if I don't install the package's /etc/init.d/powerfail, I
       use the one from genpower

This is untested, but the fact that we all use the same filename
(no choice about this) implies to me that it should not stick
around after remove (and not purging) the package.

Thoughts?

I'm submitting this as a bug against my own package as a log of
the discussion, if any.  I'm probably going to remove
/etc/init.d/powerfail as a conffile and put whatever configuration
it can have in another conffile, like /etc/init.d/powstatd.
I'll email you both the bug number as soon as I get it, should
you want your comments logged there too.

Peter