On Sun, 30 Jan 2000 at 14:28, Steve Greenland wrote about "Re: [RFD]:...":
> > Well, the logs weren't created upon installation -- then why do they get > > automatically removed upon "purge" ? That's the difference between the > > config files (with even 100 hours of work put into them...they were STILL > > created when the package was created). > > Just to be annoyingly nitpicky, not necessarily. There are lots of > packages whose configuration files are optional, and whose non-existence > is acceptable, but that are none-the-less configuration files of that > package and are removed upon purge. Then my example can be extended to config files. > > And if I want to save just the logs? There IS something inherently > > different with saving just the logs and nothing else (including config > > files) > > Then *copy* the [EMAIL PROTECTED] precious log files somewhere else before you > purge. There is nothing inherently different: purge says "remove all > traces of this package, I'm getting rid of it permanently". If I understand correctly, remove removes the binaries. Leaves docs, etc. Right? > If the data is that valuable, back it up. But for 99.9% of packages, log > files are not data, and of no use once the package is purged. I would think anything the program didn't create (beyond null files) upon creation/installation would be considered data. Be it MySQL databases, Apache logs or whatever else. But if I'm not mistaken (and I could very well be), if remove only removes binaries and purge removes all -- then what about those who want data files to stay and the /usr/doc (or whatever it is now) with the binaries to go away. No, don't make me back it up. My server works just fine on it's RAID-5 that I don't need back-ups (just one example of why someone wouldn't back-up; although it don't protect against every type of data loss). And I still think a configurable uninstall would serve Debian packages well. Certainly a mechanism that could be integrated slowly. Could it hurt? -- Brock Rozen [EMAIL PROTECTED]
