Merge branch 'master' into bug473439-rra

[debian/debian-policy.git] / policy.sgml

diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml
index 1b0751f0ac4d692b158301e82ff2c6d61b840294..9b9ee4c22e4ebf6b9dd7421df0e830b53cb7a9e5 100644 (file)
--- a/policy.sgml
+++ b/policy.sgml
@@ -319,7 +319,13 @@
        <em>free</em> in our sense (see the Debian Free Software
        Guidelines, below), or may be imported/exported without
        restrictions. Thus, the archive is split into the distribution
-       areas or categories based on their licenses and other restrictions.
+       areas or components<footnote>
+         The Debian archive software uses the term "component" internally
+         and in the Release file format to refer to the division of an
+         archive.  The Debian Social Contract refers to distribution
+         areas.  This document uses the same terminology as the Social
+         Contract.
+       </footnote> based on their licenses and other restrictions.
       </p>
 
       <p>
@@ -336,8 +342,8 @@
       </p>
 
       <p>
-       The <em>main</em> category  forms the
-       <em>Debian GNU/Linux distribution</em>.
+       The <em>main</em> distribution area forms the <em>Debian GNU/Linux
+       distribution</em>.
       </p>
 
       <p>
@@ -448,10 +454,10 @@
       </sect>
 
       <sect id="sections">
-       <heading>Categories</heading>
+       <heading>Distribution areas</heading>
 
        <sect1 id="main">
-         <heading>The main category</heading>
+         <heading>The main distribution area</heading>
 
          <p>
            Every package in <em>main</em> must comply with the DFSG
@@ -482,7 +488,7 @@
        </sect1>
 
        <sect1 id="contrib">
-         <heading>The contrib category</heading>
+         <heading>The contrib distribution area</heading>
 
          <p>
            Every package in <em>contrib</em> must comply with the DFSG.
@@ -522,7 +528,7 @@
        </sect1>
 
        <sect1 id="non-free">
-         <heading>The non-free category</heading>
+         <heading>The non-free distribution area</heading>
 
          <p>
            Packages must be placed in <em>non-free</em> if they are
@@ -638,13 +644,13 @@
        <heading>Sections</heading>
 
        <p>
-         The packages in the categories <em>main</em>,
+         The packages in the distribution areas <em>main</em>,
          <em>contrib</em> and <em>non-free</em> are grouped further
          into <em>sections</em> to simplify handling.
        </p>
 
        <p>
-         The category and section for each package should be
+         The distribution area and section for each package should be
          specified in the package's <tt>Section</tt> control record
          (see <ref id="f-Section">).  However, the maintainer of the
          Debian archive may override this selection to ensure the
@@ -653,10 +659,10 @@
          <list compact="compact">
            <item>
                  <em>section</em> if the package is in the
-                 <em>main</em> category,
+                 <em>main</em> distribution area,
            </item>
            <item>
-                 <em>segment/section</em> if the package is in
+                 <em>area/section</em> if the package is in
                  the <em>contrib</em> or <em>non-free</em>
                  distribution areas.
            </item>
@@ -8088,12 +8094,27 @@ http://localhost/doc/<var>package</var>/<var>filename</var>
        </p>
 
        <p>
-         Mailboxes are generally mode 660
-         <tt><var>user</var>:mail</tt> unless the system
-         administrator has chosen otherwise.  A MUA may remove a
-         mailbox (unless it has nonstandard permissions) in which
-         case the MTA or another MUA must recreate it if needed.
-         Mailboxes must be writable by group mail.
+         Mailboxes are generally either mode 600 and owned by
+         <var>user</var> or mode 660 and owned by
+         <tt><var>user</var>:mail</tt><footnote>
+           There are two traditional permission schemes for mail spools:
+           mode 600 with all mail delivery done by processes running as
+           the destination user, or mode 660 and owned by group mail with
+           mail delivery done by a process running as a system user in
+           group mail.  Historically, Debian required mode 660 mail
+           spools to enable the latter model, but that model has become
+           increasingly uncommon and the principle of least privilege
+           indicates that mail systems that use the first model should
+           use permissions of 600.  If delivery to programs is permitted,
+           it's easier to keep the mail system secure if the delivery
+           agent runs as the destination user.  Debian Policy therefore
+           permits either scheme.
+         </footnote>. The local system administrator may choose a
+         different permission scheme; packages should not make
+         assumptions about the permission and ownership of mailboxes
+         unless required (such as when creating a new mailbox).  A MUA
+         may remove a mailbox (unless it has nonstandard permissions) in
+         which case the MTA or another MUA must recreate it if needed.
        </p>
 
        <p>
@@ -8991,9 +9012,10 @@ install-info --quiet --remove /usr/share/info/foobar.info
        </p>
 
        <p>
-         Packages in the <em>contrib</em> or <em>non-free</em> categories
-         should state in the copyright file that the package is not part
-         of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and briefly explain why.
+         Packages in the <em>contrib</em> or <em>non-free</em>
+         distribution areas should state in the copyright file that the
+         package is not part of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution and
+         briefly explain why.
        </p>
 
        <p>