bin/67236: file(1) does a poor job of recognizing Makefiles

[Ronald F. Guilmette]

In message <200405272144.i4RLiWep030847 at freefall.freebsd.org>, you wrote:

>Synopsis: file(1) does a poor job of recognizing Makefiles
>
>State-Changed-From-To: open->closed
>State-Changed-By: simon
>State-Changed-When: Thu May 27 14:44:29 PDT 2004
>State-Changed-Why: 
>File is externally maintained and FreeBSD does not make local
>modifications to it, so please take this up with the find developers.
>You can find file at ftp://ftp.astron.com/pub/file/.
>Note: there is a new version of find available, but I tested
>it and it does not do a better job of detecting makefiles.
>
>http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/query-pr.cgi?pr=67236


Excuse me, but it would appear that your suggestion that I take up
this issue with the (external) maintainer of file(1) may be impractical
for this simple reason that the specific version of the file(1)
command that is being distributed, at present, with reasonably recent
releases of FreeBSD (e.g. 5.2.1)... that is, file-3.41 (according to
the output of `file -v') is clearly obsolete and, more importantly,
is apparently so old that it is not even being distributed anymore on
the ftp site that you pointed me at:

========================================================================
% file -v
file-3.41
magic file from /usr/share/misc/magic
% ftp ftp.astron.com
Connected to ftp.astron.com.
220 ftp.astron.com FTP server ready
Name (ftp.astron.com:rfg): anonymous
331 Anonymous login ok, send your complete email address as your password.
Password:
230-ASTRON SOFTWARE FTP SERVICE (ftp.astron.com)
 
 File utility:         /pub/file
 Tcsh shell:           /pub/tcsh
 
 The software in this server is provided ``as is'' and any express
 or implied warranties, including, but not limited to, the implied
 warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose
 are disclaimed. 
 
 In no event shall ASTRON.COM be liable for any direct, indirect,
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 but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services;
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 possibility of such damage.
 
 If you are experiencing problems with the FTP service, you can
 reach us by e-mail at ftp-bugs at gw.com (please include details).
 
230 Anonymous access granted, restrictions apply.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp> cd pub/file
250 CWD command successful.
ftp> ls -l
229 Entering Extended Passive Mode (|||65495|)
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for file list
-rw-rw-r--   1 christos christos   355647 Dec 23 17:43 file-4.07.tar.gz
-rw-rw-r--   1 christos christos   365040 Mar 22 21:55 file-4.08.tar.gz
-rw-rw-r--   1 christos christos   365226 Apr  7 00:49 file-4.09.tar.gz
226 Transfer complete.
ftp>
========================================================================

I would be happy to take this matter up with the file(1) maintainer, on
behalf of the entire FreeBSD community, but I have a feeling that if I
attempt to do so, he will almost certainly do what most freeware
package maintainers do in similar circumstances, i.e. begin by in-
sisting that he/she will only deal with bug reports relative to the
most recent version of the package (or at least relative to some
reasonably recent version).

Would it be possible for the FreeBSD maintainers to upgrade the version
of file(1) that is being distributed with FreeBSD to version 4.09 which,
according to the information above, seems to be the now current version?

Perhaps that alone will fix the problem I reported.  But if not, I will
be happy then to report a bug, relative to the 4.09 version of file(1),
to the file(1) maintainer, as you requested.

Thank you for your consideration.