ROX Session and I discovered to my horror that the directory /etc/gtk-2.0 was now a real directory with a file REMOVE_IN_PROGRESS in it. Now the message in that file indicated that some gnome software was now to be found in /opt/gnome (which doesn't really concern me) but that I should re-install everything else - but it didn't care to indicate what 'else' might be involved.
The gnome packages for version 2, either from upgrading to recent suse distribution or using the unsupported rpms from the 'supplementary' tree is responsible for it. Your root account should have received this email: root wrote:
Hallo,
filesystem hierarchy was significantly changed in SuSE Linux 9.0 and all GNOME/GTK related programs now reside in /opt/gnome.
Please move out following files or directories, otherwise it will be deleted in one week since last change: /etc/opt/gnome2 /opt/gnome2
Themes can be simply moved to /opt/gnome/share/themes, all other programs must be re-installed.
Your SuSE GNOME team
This seems to me to be an integrity problem which comes under security so far as I am concerned.
I presume others have had this happen too. What must be done to stop this automagic file removal?? I don't want to lose all of some vital package due to actions being taken behind my back!
I noticed it in my system, I don't use the gnome apps that much so I was not concerned about it. The directory should have been renamed or moved somewhere else not deleted. If you have some vital files, backup often. This brings forward a problem with how the system notifies the local user about this kind of things. It is not obvious how a normal user (the one that purchases the pro or personal version) should configure its system to receive local email. I'm one of those who gets his email from external pop or imap servers, I keep local copies of my email at my home computer and at several offices. I use mozilla, which has to go through hoops to retrieve local mail so I hardly ever get to see those notices. User/Admin notification is something that needs improvement. In the meantime I suggest you add this line to the top of /etc/aliases root: your@regular.email.here, \root -- Rafael