Policy 3.3.6 states the following: 3.3.6 Device files
No package may include device files in the package file tree. If a package needs any special device files that are not included in the base system, it has to call makedev in the postinst script, after asking the user for permission to do so. No package should remove any device files in the postrm or any other script. This is left to the system administrator. Debian uses the serial devices /dev/tty*. Programs using the old /dev/cu* devices should be changed to use /dev/tty*. One might assume that a package may create symlinks in /dev. For example, the ISDN utilities traditionally use a /dev/isdnctrl file which is a symlink to isdnctrl0. The old makedev package created /dev/isdnctrl along with the other /dev/isdnctrl? files; however, the current makedev package doesn't. The makedev maintainer feels that the isdnutils package should now be responsible for this, I feel that it's a bit of an uncalled-for change to the situation (I had no warning, and the current situation is that a new installation of isdnutils won't work). I had interpreted the policy to intend that packages shouldn't do anything with the stuff under /dev, but that isn't spelled out. So, I'd like some clarity on this ASAP please. What are your opinions on this? Apparently the pcmcia packages do things to /dev/modem, and other things such as /dev/mouse and /dev/pilot are also manipulated by packages already... Paul Slootman -- home: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | work: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | debian: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.wurtel.demon.nl | Murphy Software, Enschede, the Netherlands
