The future of fortune(6)

[Chris H]

On Wed, 22 Nov 2017 11:22:41 -0800 "Benno Rice" <benno at FreeBSD.org> said

> > On Nov 22, 2017, at 09:35, Steve Kargl <sgk at troutmask.apl.washington.edu>
> > wrote:
> > 
> > On Wed, Nov 22, 2017 at 08:29:46AM -0800, Benno Rice wrote:
> >> 
> >> With the removal of the fortune datfiles I think it’s time to
> >> have a discussion about fortune(6).
> > 
> > There should have been a discussion before the removal, but
> > your method prevented an inevitable bikeshed.
> 
> You’re correct in that my intent was to avoid pointless discussion. We’ve
> got bigger and more fun things to work on than coming up with an editorial
> policy as to what is or isn’t appropriate in the fortune datfiles.
> 
> >> fortune now defaults to using a fortune file that no longer exists:
> > 
> > When functionality is removed from src, a port is usually created.
> > The datfiles should be available from ports/games/bsd-fortune.
> 
> Feel free to create it. If someone else wants to take editorial
> responsibility for those files I’m all for it. FreeBSD should not be taking
> responsibility for them and I don’t wish to take that responsibility
> either.
> 
> >> $ fortune
> >> No fortunes found in
> > /usr/share/games/fortune:/usr/local/share/games/fortune.
> >> 
> >> fortune is still used in the default .login/.profile to show entries
> >> from the still existing freebsd-tips:
> >> 
> >> $ grep fortune /usr/share/skel/*
> >> /usr/share/skel/dot.login:if ( -x /usr/bin/fortune ) /usr/bin/fortune
> > freebsd-tips
> >> /usr/share/skel/dot.profile:if [ -x /usr/bin/fortune ] ; then
> > /usr/bin/fortune freebsd-tips ; fi
> >> $ fortune freebsd-tips
> >> If you need a reminder to leave your terminal, type "leave +hhmm" where
> >> "hhmm" represents in how many hours and minutes you need to leave.
> >> 		-- Dru <genesis at istar.ca>
> >> 
> >> fortune also still has flags for showing offensive entries and the like.
> >> 
> > 
> > What is offensive to one person may not offend another person.  What
> > if someone objects to quotes by Dru (sorry Dru looks like you got 
> > picked at random above).  The above looks like an attack on people
> > with memory loss issues (age discrimination?).  Will you remove Dru's
> > quotes?
> 
> Nice try. The freebsd-tips collection has some useful stuff which is why I
> put forward the idea of keeping it. Comments like this are exactly why I got
> rid of everything else.
> 
> >> I would like people’s opinion on which of the following two paths we
> >> should take:
> >> 
> >> 1) Complete removal of fortune and freebsd-tips, remove its usage from
> >> the default .login/.profile files.
> > 
> > Create ports/games/bsd-fortune.
> 
> Be my guest.
> 
> >> 2) Reworking fortune(6) to remove the offensive fortune flag and
> >> make freebsd-tips the default, possibly by symlinking it as
> >> /usr/share/games/fortune/fortunes.
> > 
> > 3) Restore the datfiles.  Add a WITHOUT_FORTUNE knob and set it
> >   as the default.  This allows an individual to tailor her system
> >   to meet her needs without having others force a politically 
> >   correct revisionist history on them.
> 
> Oh please. If you want the datfiles they’re there in history. If you want
> to be the one distributing them, go ahead. I’m fairly sure that the
> availability of quotes regarding, or by, Hitler or anyone else has been
> diminished by a rounding error or less by us no longer distributing the
> datfiles. FreeBSD is an operating system, not an encyclopedia.
> 
> > This will be my one and only post in this bikeshed.  Given the 
> > sudden removal of the datfiles without discussion.  This appears
> > to be a perfunctory discussion prior to you pursuing your own
> > choice.
> 
> Think of me whatever you want, I’m not fussed. I’m asking with 100%
> honest intentions what the community wants to do with this tool. If the
> consensus is for retaining fortune for use with the freebsd-tips datfile then
> I’m absolutely cool with that.
> 
> I made a unilateral decision to remove a potential source of pointless
> distraction. I could’ve unilaterally removed fortune entirely at that point
> but I didn’t as the freebsd-tips aspect appears to have actual utility and
> is something we can easily manage. The other files weren’t.
If this is about removing things from FreeBSD that don't offer/provide "utility".
Than you *should* have removed /usr/games entirely. Let's *actually* be
"completely honest" about all this.

I think I'm done here. Sorry. :(

> If they’re
> important to you, please feel free to check out either r325781 (if you want
> the files) or r325095 (if you want the files with the Hitler quotes) and
> maintain them yourself.
> 
> Cheers,
> 	Benno.

--Chris