[arch-general] dovecot.conf kills update (conflicting file)

[David C. Rankin]

On 09/01/2010 06:08 PM, Ng Oon-Ee wrote:
> Pacman helps you manage your system, it doesn't (and shouldn't) try to
> make assumptions about stuff like this, because that's your job. You
> know your system better than anyone else (ideally).
>
> And your assertion about 'blowing up a 288 package update' is nonsense,
> by the time you reach this error the downloads are done (so they don't
> have to be repeated) and no files have actually yet been installed.
> Re-run pacman -Su after fixing the problem and everything just installs
> as it should have.

OK,

	Now let's turn this conversation around and see if we can't make Arch better. I 
agree with all you said, and yes, I understand the 'packaging' and installer 
separation and what pacman does/doesn't do. What I want to explore is what 
additional effort would it take to identify and make the packaging process (for 
core server apps especially - mail/apache/etc.) more robust so that pacman can 
be made 'aware' of mandatory config files that should be expected?

	Additionally, there needs to be a 'non-critical' check that is employed for the 
times when an already installed font causes the install to fail.

	This isn't a giant problem, but it is an annoyance. Over the past 1.5 years on 
8-10 Arch boxes, I have run into a dozen issues like this. Some for something as 
simple as a specific font already being installed which causes the install to 
stop as mentioned above.

	I'm not knocking Arch, I'm just trying to explore how much work it would take 
to make pacman just a little smarter so it avoids some of these things. That is 
what I DON'T know.

	The way I look at it is if Arch is going to keep moving forward, kicking ass 
and gaining market share the way it has in the past, then these are some of the 
things I notice that, if fixed, will add some of the required 'polish' to Arch 
to allow it to continue do so. Nothing more, nothing less.

	If it is too much work from a cost/benefit standpoint, then just throw this in 
the "Arch Ideas" files for later or hit 'del'.

-- 
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
Rankin Law Firm, PLLC
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