On Wed 17 Feb 2021 at 07:39:15 (+0800), Kevin Shell wrote: > On Tue, Feb 16, 2021 at 04:38:06PM -0600, David Wright wrote: > > On Tue 16 Feb 2021 at 17:48:25 (+0800), Kevin Shell wrote: > > > [...] > > > Isn't Debian already has a /etc/alternatives/ mechanism? > > > > AIUI all the targets of /etc/alternatives are all installed at the > > same time, and can be simultaneously run without conflicting with > > each other. The links merely select which target is run (and > > documented) by invoking a name, like "www-browser" (→ lynx for me), > > "awk" (gawk) or "rename" (the Perl one). I might be running firefox, > > mawk and rename.ul (by their specific name) at the same time as the > > "default" versions. > > I asked this question because on my laptop there's an alternatives system > that can keep several programs providing the same or similar functions > at the same time. > Debian also has an alternatives system but doesn't allowed to install > multiple MTAs. > > https://github.com/fedora-sysv/chkconfig/blob/master/alternatives.c > $ dnf info alternatives > Name : alternatives > Summary : A tool to maintain symbolic links determining default commands > URL : https://github.com/fedora-sysv/chkconfig > License : GPLv2 > Description : alternatives creates, removes, maintains and displays > information about > : the symbolic links comprising the alternatives system. It is > possible > : for several programs fulfilling the same or similar functions > to be > : installed on a single system at the same time.
I hope you won't mind if I pass on finding the difference between the above and Debian's alternatives, ie switching MTAs. I only found https://github.com/fedora-sysv/chkconfig/commit/c3adb7f8cd06aaf274a0b2140fffe7be75a767f9 Cheers, David.
