The future of fortune(6)

[Steve Kargl]

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.

> 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.

> $ 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?

> 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.  

> 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.

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.
-- 
Steve