[gentoo-dev] RFC: acct-user/... modifies existing user sometimes

[gentoo-dev] RFC: acct-user/... modifies existing user sometimes

[The Bit Pit]

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acct-user/mythtv modifies the existing user if that user is not logged 
in. Mythtv has been around for years and users have created specialized 
configurations for the mythtv user. They do not like changes to the 
mythtv user when upgrading.

A couple of solutions:

1)
the ebuild does not depend on acct-user/mythtv when the user already 
exists. This prevents both the changing and deletion of the existing user.

What is the gentoo way to discover a preexisting user? Repoman does not 
like anything I tried using egetent passwd mythtv

2)  Add something to the acct-user/mythtv to (conditionally) prevent any 
change if there is a preexisting user on the system. The acct-user 
unmerge would also check that the user was not modified since it was 
created by acct-user. This seems like a lot of work.



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Re: [gentoo-dev] RFC: acct-user/... modifies existing user sometimes

[Michał Górny]

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On Sat, 2019-12-14 at 14:47 -0600, The Bit Pit wrote:
> acct-user/mythtv modifies the existing user if that user is not logged 
> in. Mythtv has been around for years and users have created specialized 
> configurations for the mythtv user. They do not like changes to the 
> mythtv user when upgrading.
> 
> A couple of solutions:
> 
> 1)
> the ebuild does not depend on acct-user/mythtv when the user already 
> exists. This prevents both the changing and deletion of the existing user.
> 
> What is the gentoo way to discover a preexisting user? Repoman does not 
> like anything I tried using egetent passwd mythtv
> 
> 2)  Add something to the acct-user/mythtv to (conditionally) prevent any 
> change if there is a preexisting user on the system. The acct-user 
> unmerge would also check that the user was not modified since it was 
> created by acct-user. This seems like a lot of work.
> 

Users are supposed to create a local acct-user/mythtv override if they
want to use a custom setup.

-- 
Best regards,
Michał Górny


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Re: [gentoo-dev] RFC: acct-user/... modifies existing user sometimes

[Thomas Deutschmann]

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On 2019-12-14 21:47, The Bit Pit wrote:
> acct-user/mythtv modifies the existing user if that user is not logged
> in. Mythtv has been around for years and users have created specialized
> configurations for the mythtv user. They do not like changes to the
> mythtv user when upgrading.

Could you please be a little bit more precise what's changing?

acct-* shouldn't mess with already *existing* users. So upgrade
experience shouldn't be affected...


-- 
Regards,
Thomas Deutschmann / Gentoo Linux Developer
C4DD 695F A713 8F24 2AA1 5638 5849 7EE5 1D5D 74A5


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Re: [gentoo-dev] RFC: acct-user/... modifies existing user sometimes

[Michael Orlitzky]

On 12/14/19 5:02 PM, Thomas Deutschmann wrote:
> 
> acct-* shouldn't mess with already *existing* users. So upgrade
> experience shouldn't be affected...

Even on upgrades, pkg_postinst() in acct-user.eclass will update the
home directory, shell, groups, and comment field.

Without more information, all I can say is that there's probably a
better way to do whatever these users are doing that doesn't involve
modifying a system user. But regardless, Michał's answer is the right
one if you decide that you do want to modify it.

Re: [gentoo-dev] RFC: acct-user/... modifies existing user sometimes

[The Bit Pit]

On 12/15/19 5:31 PM, Michael Orlitzky wrote:
>
> Without more information, all I can say is that there's probably a
> better way to do whatever these users are doing that doesn't involve
> modifying a system user. But regardless, Michał's answer is the right
> one if you decide that you do want to modify it.
>
Your observation is correct. This package I am working with "mythtv" has 
been around for years. Users customize it incorrectly and once working 
are reluctant to change it. They still want to upgrade to get 
features/bug fixes. I am guilty of improper use of the mythtv user 
myself. There is a lot of old documentation that uses it improperly.

I am reluctant to introduce unexpected changes to old systems. This 
update will force consideration that maybe the mythtv user is being 
misused; while manually restoring (or creating a custom overlay) after 
acct-user/mythtv is emerged on the system. Once installed 
acct-user/mythtv is not usually reinstalled. It should not need manual 
restoration often.