[Lunar-rfc] full dynamic services file

[Kok, Auke]

Zbigniew Luszpinski wrote:
> Saturday 16 of June 2007 19:34:28 Kok, Auke wrote:
>>> Zbigniew Luszpinski <zbiggy at o2.pl> wrote:
>>> this module makes Lunar RFC3232 compatible.
>>> It replaces old, incomplete Lunar's default /etc/services file with new
>>> dynamic RFC3232 compatible one.
>>>
>> since lunar itself updates /etc/services, we have a conflict here.
> 
> I thought services file is preinstalled with ISO.
> How Lunar updates /etc/services?

check moonbase for xinetd.d folders and look in those modules...

> I have done lvu from services | grep etc
> and there was no results.
> When I realized the services file is so old it has no submission port on list 
> (so postfix was hard to setup) decided to update it and make it as much fresh 
> as possible to have easy configuration of postfix and other apps. The most 
> comfortable way of keeping it fresh was to make it as module.

*adding* new entries is OK, but *overwriting the entire file* without retaining 
user-added entries is not.

>> would it be possible for this module to `merge` services into the services
>> file instead? 
> 
> The iana list is officially complete.

Bullshit, it can never be complete. Here's an example:

ahkok at ahkok-mobl ~ $ grep git services
ahkok at ahkok-mobl ~ $

nada. Yet my local /etc/services has port 9418 listed, because I added it 
manually so I can setup and run a git-daemon locally.

  Merging two service files will make some
> services double listed.

not with a smart merging script, which should be really easy.

> I see no reason for merging.

example above

> Iana file is now 
> dynamically updated so every new service officially accepted by iana is added 
> to list

that also is completely bullshit. IANA is first of all an arbitrary organization 
that does what it wants. Anything above port 1024 will *officially* never be 
accepted (unless you bribe them, they stopped accepting high-port numbers from 
open source projects at all).

> (iana due to historical reasons also holds ports accepted by other 
> organizations to keep one fresh central list). I found monthly updates enough 
> to keep services file up to date and not make too much traffic on iana server 
> and users' machines.

merging new entries once in a while is OK, but we really cannot delete entries 
that the user has put in /etc/services, so you *must* merge.

>> also, your module makes /etc/services tracked, which is dangerous
>> (deleting/uninstalling the services module will delete the /etc/services
>> file).
> 
> No deletion possible. Only version update is tracked. I have just done lrm 
> services and services file is still in place. lrm services only excludes 
> services file from later updates.

true, that's because I was smart enough to put the file in $PROTECTED preventing 
lunar from deleting it.

however your module still *overwrites* the file without retaining user-additions

>> I would prefer it if the module didn't 'track' /etc/services.
> 
> Then it could not be updatable monthly. Give it a try - everything should be 
> fine. However I tested it only on 1 machine.

as is this module is completely rejected. If it would merge entries then I will 
be happy to accept it.

Auke