På 1999-Nov-19 klokka 20:11:31 -0800 skrivet Eric Bullen:
: I assumed that the term 'rpm distribution" was well known, but I was
: obviously wrong. For future notes, it is just a convenient software package
: that has simplified (un)install and validation. For more information, you
: can go to
http://www.rpm.org.
:
: >From the looks of it, newaliases is a symlink to /usr/sbin/exim. I commented
: out the line knowing of the infinite loop issue (I must have had it in there
: from an older Exim install).
:
: Thanks for your help, and next time I will be more verbose/descriptive.
Noting what RPM package you installed, where you got it, and who
packaged it can also be useful information.
Normally the thing to do if you have a problem with an RPM package is
to contact the person who built the package first, not the person who
made the software that's in the package. You can usually find out who
made a package using the following command:
rpm --query --package --queryformat '%{PACKAGER}\n' <rpm-package-file>
where <rpm-package-file> is the actual file, e.g. `exim-3.03-2.i386.rpm'.
Or, if the package is installed on your system:
rpm --query --queryformat '%{PACKAGER}\n' <package-name>
where <package-name> is the name component of the package, e.g. `exim'.
If the packager is unable or unwilling to help, only then should you
contact the actual author or associated mailing list of the software.
If you discover through the querying process that you can't tell who
the person (or company or group) is who built the package, or that they
no longer exist at the given address, then you should reconsider
whether you want a package from an unknown source on your system.
If you discover through the querying process that you yourself are the
person who built the package, then you should either (a) contact the
author or associated mailing list, or (b) reconsider whether you ought
to be building and distributing RPM packages of software you don't
understand.
Similar rules of thumb govern other binary package formats, including
debs, tarballs, and POSIX packages. To sum up:
FIRST the package-builder, THEN the mailing list.
[These comments are not particularly on topic for exim, but it's
obvious that many folks don't know how to efficiently get the help they
need. Perhaps this info ought to make it's way into exim's FAQ or some
other similar document. It's really only common sense, but there is an
unfortunately large and increasing number of folks with net access
nowadays who appear to lack that key skill which used to be so critical
for human survival.]
--jim
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