Re: Review of new English templates for wireshark

Hi Justin,

Thank you very much. I've applied your proposed changes at
https://salsa.debian.org/rbalint/wireshark/-/commits/debian/experimental
.

Cheers,
Balint

Justin B Rye <[email protected]> ezt =C3=ADrta (id=C5=91pont: 2025.
szept. 29., H, 12:33):
>
> B=C3=A1lint R=C3=A9czey wrote:
> > I forgot to point out that the template is just a slight modification
> > of the already reviewed wireshark template.
> > There were multiple threads about reviewing the wireshark template on
> > this list, thus probably the best entry point to past discussions is
> > this:
> > https://lists.debian.org/cgi-bin/search?P=3Dwireshark&DEFAULTOP=3Dor&B=
=3DGdebian-l10n-english&SORT=3D&HITSPERPAGE=3D10&xP=3Dwireshark&xFILTERS=3D=
Gdebian-l10n-english%7E-%7E%7E4294967295
>
> Yes, I've seen variants on this text passing through d-l-e every now
> and then since 2009; details have changed but we haven't really looked
> at the overall effect, and this new one introduces a few new slightly
> obscure things at once.
>
> > Please CC me on the replies, I'm not on this list.
> >
> > I'll discuss the "scap" group name on debian-devel, just haven't got
> > into it yet. I guess replacing the group name in the template would be
> > fine without another round of language review.
>
> Yes.  Meanwhile here are some ideas for a rewrite - inline commented
> version plus attached actual diff file.  Comments?
>
>  --- template.orig      2025-09-28 14:58:38.628690488 +0100
>  +++ template   2025-09-29 10:14:25.122556373 +0100
>  @@ -2,17 +2,17 @@
>   Type: boolean
>   Default: false
>   _Description: Should non-superusers be able to capture system calls?
>
> This phrasing is unsatisfying but so are the alternatives.
>
>  - The falcodump external capture utility (extcap) can be installed in a
>  - way that allows members of the "scap" system group to capture system
>  - calls. This is recommended over the alternative of running Stratoshark
>  - directly as root, because less of the code will run with elevated
>  - privileges.
>  + The falcodump external capture utility for Stratoshark can be
>
> I'm assuming that anyone who already knows what an extcap is will
> understand the long version, while the important thing for a user
> reading this in the middle of a big batch of package installs is to
> establish the context that it's a tool used by Stratoshark.
>
>  + installed in a way that allows members of the "scap" system group
>  + to capture system calls without needing to run Stratoshark directly
>  + as root.
>
> (Delaying some of this until later)
>
>    .
>    For more detailed information please see
>  - /usr/share/doc/wireshark-common/README.Debian.
>  + /usr/share/doc/wireshark-common/README.Debian.gz.
>
> (In fact I mentioned this back in 2019, then forgot.)
>
>    .
>  - Enabling this feature may be a security risk, so it is disabled by
>  - default. If in doubt, it is suggested to leave it disabled.
>  + Using this feature has the security advantage that less of the code
>  + will run with elevated privileges. However, since it makes the
>  + "scap" group more security-sensitive it is disabled by default.
>
> This version takes the approach of just summarising the pros and cons
> and letting readers decide for themselves.
>
>   Template: stratoshark/addgroup-failed
>   Type: error
>  @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
>
>   Template: stratoshark/group-is-user-group
>   Type: error
>  -_Description: The "scap" group is a system group
>  +_Description: The "scap" group should be a system group
>
> (Because the problem is that it *isn't* currently a system group.)
>
>    The "scap" group exists as a user group, but the preferred
>    configuration is for it to be created as a system group.
>    .
>
> --
> JBR     with qualifications in linguistics, experience as a Debian
>         sysadmin, and probably no clue about this particular package