[lug] fork from network drives as backup

[Lee Woodworth]

Nate Duehr wrote:
> Paul E Condon wrote:
> 
>> own homegrown substitute the net-install. Other distributions may not
>> spend the effort that Debian does to segregate fixed and variable
>> data. YMMV
> 
> :%s/may not/definitely do not/g
> 

What are you defining as fixed and variable? I assume this distinction
is related to package upgrades and preserving config settings.

As an example for discussion, a postfix installation on Gentoo
has config files in /etc/postfix, documentation in /usr/share/man
and /usr/share/doc/postfix-x.x.x, run-time data in /var/spool/postfix,
binaries in /usr/bin, libs in /usr/lib/postfix, system binaries
in /usr/sbin and startup scripts in /etc/init.d.

Below is the installed file list from equery -C f postfix,
which of these are fixed vs. variable? With Gentoo, an upgrade
or uninstall will use the file list and compare checksums of
the current files vs. what they were when installed. The emerge
process also detects conflicts bewteen the current config
files (usually in /etc) and new file versions the package
wants to install. You don't have config files arbitrarily
overwritten, you are even asked if you want to install
new versions of files in /etc/init.d.

So what should Gentoo do better wrt. variable vs. fixed data?

[ Searching for packages matching postfix... ]
* Contents of mail-mta/postfix-2.2.5:
/etc
/etc/init.d
/etc/init.d/postfix
/etc/pam.d
/etc/pam.d/smtp
/etc/postfix
/etc/postfix/.keep
/etc/postfix/main.cf
/etc/postfix/master.cf
/etc/postfix/post-install
/etc/postfix/postfix-files
/etc/postfix/postfix-script
/etc/postfix/saslpass
/etc/ssl
/etc/ssl/postfix
/etc/ssl/postfix/server.crt
/etc/ssl/postfix/server.csr
/etc/ssl/postfix/server.key
/etc/ssl/postfix/server.pem
/usr
/usr/bin
/usr/bin/mailq -../../usr/sbin/sendmail
/usr/bin/newaliases -../../usr/sbin/sendmail
/usr/bin/qshape.pl
/usr/bin/rmail
/usr/lib
/usr/lib/postfix
/usr/lib/postfix/anvil
/usr/lib/postfix/bounce
/usr/lib/postfix/cleanup
/usr/lib/postfix/discard
/usr/lib/postfix/error
/usr/lib/postfix/flush
/usr/lib/postfix/lmtp
/usr/lib/postfix/local
/usr/lib/postfix/master
/usr/lib/postfix/nqmgr
/usr/lib/postfix/oqmgr
/usr/lib/postfix/pickup
/usr/lib/postfix/pipe
/usr/lib/postfix/proxymap
/usr/lib/postfix/qmgr
/usr/lib/postfix/qmqpd
/usr/lib/postfix/scache
/usr/lib/postfix/showq
/usr/lib/postfix/smtp
/usr/lib/postfix/smtpd
/usr/lib/postfix/spawn
/usr/lib/postfix/tlsmgr
/usr/lib/postfix/trivial-rewrite
/usr/lib/postfix/verify
/usr/lib/postfix/virtual
/usr/lib/sendmail -/usr/sbin/sendmail
/usr/sbin
/usr/sbin/postalias
/usr/sbin/postcat
/usr/sbin/postconf
/usr/sbin/postdrop
/usr/sbin/postfix
/usr/sbin/postkick
/usr/sbin/postlock
/usr/sbin/postlog
/usr/sbin/postmap
/usr/sbin/postqueue
/usr/sbin/postsuper
/usr/sbin/sendmail
/usr/share
/usr/share/doc
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/AAAREADME.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/COMPATIBILITY.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/HISTORY.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/INSTALL.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/LICENSE.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/PORTING.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/RELEASE_NOTES-1.1.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/RELEASE_NOTES-2.0.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/RELEASE_NOTES-2.1.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/RELEASE_NOTES.gz
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/LICENSE
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/TLS_LICENSE
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/access
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/aliases
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/canonical
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/generic
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/header_checks
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/main.cf.default
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/makedefs.out
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/relocated
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/transport
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/defaults/virtual
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/AIX42
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/BSDI2
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/BSDI3
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/FREEBSD3
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/FreeBSD2
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/HPUX10
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/HPUX9
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/IRIX5
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/IRIX6
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/LINUX2
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/NETBSD1
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/NEXTSTEP3
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/OPENSTEP4
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/OSF1
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/Solaris10
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/Solaris2
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/chroot-setup/Solaris8
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/qmail-local
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/qmail-local/qmail-local.txt
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/smtpd-policy
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/smtpd-policy/greylist.pl
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/examples/smtpd-policy/spf.pl
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/ADDRESS_CLASS_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/ADDRESS_REWRITING_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/ADDRESS_VERIFICATION_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/BACKSCATTER_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/BASIC_CONFIGURATION_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/BUILTIN_FILTER_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/CDB_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/CONNECTION_CACHE_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/CONTENT_INSPECTION_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/CYRUS_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/DATABASE_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/DB_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/DEBUG_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/ETRN_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/FILTER_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/INSTALL.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/IPV6_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/LDAP_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/LINUX_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/LMTP_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/LOCAL_RECIPIENT_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/MAILDROP_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/MYSQL_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/NFS_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/OVERVIEW.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/PACKAGE_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/PCRE_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/PGSQL_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/QMQP_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/QSHAPE_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/RESTRICTION_CLASS_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/SASL_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/SCHEDULER_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/SMTPD_ACCESS_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/SMTPD_POLICY_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/SMTPD_PROXY_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/STANDARD_CONFIGURATION_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/TLS_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/TUNING_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/ULTRIX_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/UUCP_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/VERP_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/VIRTUAL_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/XCLIENT_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/XFORWARD_README.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/access.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/aliases.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/anvil.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/bounce.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/canonical.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/cidr_table.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/cleanup.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/defer.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/discard.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/error.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/flush.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/generic.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/header_checks.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/index.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/ldap_table.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/lmtp.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/local.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/mailq.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/master.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/master.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/mysql_table.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/newaliases.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/nisplus_table.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/oqmgr.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/pcre_table.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/pgsql_table.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/pickup.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/pipe.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postalias.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postcat.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postconf.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postconf.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postdrop.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postfix-logo.jpg
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postfix-manuals.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postfix-power.png
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postfix.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postkick.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/postlock.1.html
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/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/qmqp-sink.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/qmqp-source.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/qmqpd.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/qshape.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/regexp_table.5.html
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/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/scache.8.html
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/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/smtp-sink.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/smtp-source.1.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/smtp.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/smtpd.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/spawn.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/tlsmgr.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/trace.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/transport.5.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/trivial-rewrite.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/verify.8.html
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/html/virtual.5.html
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/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/BASIC_CONFIGURATION_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/BUILTIN_FILTER_README
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/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/CONNECTION_CACHE_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/CONTENT_INSPECTION_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/DATABASE_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/DB_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/DEBUG_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/ETRN_README
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/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/IPV6_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/LDAP_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/LINUX_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/LMTP_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/LOCAL_RECIPIENT_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/MAILDROP_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/MYSQL_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/NFS_README
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/OVERVIEW
/usr/share/doc/postfix-2.2.5/readme/PACKAGE_README
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/var
/var/spool
/var/spool/postfix
/var/spool/postfix/.keep