per user config in debian-jr packages

Hans-Georg Bork <[email protected]>
Newsgroups gmane.linux.debian.devel.jr
Message-ID <[email protected]>
Hi,

some weeks ago I had an interesting chat with Ben about debian-jr and we
came across some ideas about config problems, i.e. having configs for
different types of users (e.g. child, adult, admin). 

Ben suggested an approach as it is done with the debian-menu system;
IMHO this will need a policy-change and therefore several people have to
be convinced that this is necessary. In order to get there, I have some
ideas for a possible implementation of this:

- since every metapackage "know" on which package they depend, they
could have an own config file (e.g. debian/per_user_config) from which a
postinst template is build which set the appropriate config per user,
e.g. "should this app be listed in debian-menu for a child user?". To
implememnt this "the short way", there should be a system-group junior
and user-groups like child, adult, admin which are also members of
junior; having that the postinst-script just have to apply the
child-settings to member of group child, adult-settings to adult ...

I just do not know (and I didn't find that info) is, if metapackages can
have such "own" configs and install scripts.

BTW: I believe that debian-jr list is not the proper one to discuss such
change; however, the need to have such change came up here and the first
use will probably be here. In future (or to convince other people), you
could think about configs for several kinds of desktop-users (in offices
or at home), configs for (mainly) game-users, ...

BTW2: It might be possible that all above is just rubbish; if so, please
write it down without starting a flamewar :)

Regards
	-- hgb
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