Bug 159429 - app-arch/tar - /etc/rmt is a symlink to a binary file
Bug#: 159429 Product:  Gentoo Linux Version: 2006.1 Platform: All
OS/Version: All Status: RESOLVED Severity: enhancement Priority: P5
Resolution: FIXED Assigned To: base-system@gentoo.org Reported By: divided.mind@gmail.com
Component: Applications
URL: 
Summary: app-arch/tar - /etc/rmt is a symlink to a binary file
Keywords:  
Status Whiteboard: 
Opened: 2006-12-29 16:45 0000
Description:   Opened: 2006-12-29 16:45 0000 
Currently in Gentoo /etc/rmt is a direct symlink to a binary file.
This has the nasty property of having a binary file in /etc, a directory which
is often grepped and processed as text.

I'd like to suggest putting a wrapper script instead. Debian already did.
Cf. http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/1999/07/msg00031.html and
http://www.gnusolaris.org/cgi-bin/trac.cgi/browser/gnusolaris1/tar/trunk/debian/rmt.sh?rev=20255

This wrapper script would contain a word of explanation and wouldn't confuse
processes expecting ASCII in /etc anymore.

------- Comment #1 From SpanKY 2006-12-29 17:12:34 0000 ------- 
forcing grep to process everything as text is just stupid anyways ... doing a
normal grep on /etc ignores all the binary files

added wrapper script because of the neat explanation rather than catering to
people forcing grep to do lame things

------- Comment #2 From Rafal Rzepecki 2006-12-29 17:22:48 0000 ------- 
Whew... that was fast.

About grep, maybe it was a lame explanation indeed, but there isn't only grep,
and some things (especially hand-made) may choke. Besides, FHS says that `No
binaries may be located under /etc.'
<http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.2/fhs-3.7.html> (Granted, it was a symlink, I'm
not sure how it fits in with the standard.)

Anyway, whatever the rationale, thanks for fixing it, and that quick :-)