> IMHO there should be *no* package that makes *anything* SUID root that > I (the user) don't know about, thus those packages that require > something like that should be modified on a per-package basis (for > these packages something like 'sudo make...' would work fine).
True in principle, and good for experts, but I think that this would make life intolerable for some fraction of Fink users. OS X has been quickly adopted in academic circles where people are used to using *nix because people can keep using the *nix applications they need, but all of the stuff that's typically painful when installing Linux on a laptop "just works" with OSX. People wouldn't be happy about diving back into the minutiae of *nix administration. > There could be three options (in my preferred order): > 1) sudo to some other user (i.e. fink) > 2) install as the current user. > 3) sudo to root Option 1 is nice in that it would prevent fink from clobbering system files, but it hasn't been my impression that this has been a problem. For me, Option 1 has the serious drawback that it wouldn't solve the problem that I want user-mode fink to solve: I want to be able to build packages in a "sandbox" until I have the .info file debugged. If fink always runs as the "fink" user and the whole /sw tree is owned by fink... I'm right back where I started -- my own .info files clobber the /sw tree until I have them fully debugged. At this point I think it would be useful to consider _why_ user-mode fink is important and _what_ it's supposed to accomplish. My opinion: For users who never do anything but install packages, root-mode fink is fine. It just doesn't matter if fink needs to be root for builds versus installs. Eventually, it needs special privileges to do something useful, so just get permission at the beginning and be done with it. For package maintainers, user-mode fink would be _very_ useful in that it will allow you to develop a new .info file without clobbering your own /sw tree (as happened to me). I think that this is an important feature in recruiting new package maintainers. If someone decides to try their hand at creating a package, the first few experiences are crucial -- if they trash their /sw tree by accident, they're not going to be inclined to keep trying. Greg ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. SourceForge.net hosts over 70,000 Open Source Projects. See the people who have HELPED US provide better services: Click here: http://sourceforge.net/supporters.php _______________________________________________ Fink-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/fink-devel
