So here's a straw man draft for a decision on package-created usernames: -8<-
RUBRIC 1. We exercise our power in Constitution 6.1(1) to specify the contents of Debian policy documents, and that in 6.1(5) to offer our opinion. 2. Maintainers of policy documents should consult in their usual way on the detailed wording(s) needed to give effect to our decision, and must then make changes to policy accordingly. 3. Debian package maintainers should implement our decision immediately where practical. PUBLIC NOTICE 4. Debian hereby claims the portion of the username and groupname namespaces which consist of names starting with a capital letter D. Such names are `Debian user and group names'. 5. Debian names are allocated by Debian Developers. Everyone is encouraged to use the Debian name consistently with the way it is used in the Debian package(s) and the corresponding Debian documentation (whether in official Debian policy or in individual packages). Everyone is strongly discouraged from using Debian names in any other waay. 6. Non-Debian Free Software developers who need a reserved username for some purpose are invited to contact Debian (at the time of writing, via the debian-policy mailing list). DEBIAN PACKAGING 7. It is best if usernames and groupnames (`names', henceforth) used by packages are easy to change. Maintainers should bear this in mind, and should consider make names configurable if this does not cause other problems. 9. Individual names used by Debian packages should be Debian names, documented appropriately if the usage is not obvious. The names currently in base-files are an exception but none more should be added. Packages where the username is hard to change, or where it cannot be changed without rebuilding the package, must use a Debian naame. 9. Debian packages should not claim any other large sections of the namespace. Conventions such as S at the start of SLIP account names are useful but the user must be able to configure and override these in case it conflicts with local policy. 10. All software in Debian should cope with names starting with uppercase letters. Such users and groups should be treated as system users and groups; for example, mail should not be accepted for them by default. 11. Names are generally case-sensitive and their case should be preserved. Where names occur in contexts defined as case-insensitive by external standards (for example the DNS) maintainers should consider whether system users should appear in the external namespace at all. Simply case-smashing names is always forbidden since a system may have names which differ only in case but which are very different users or groups. -8<- Ian. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]