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Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2011 00:51:47 -0700
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Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Keeping /etc/localtime up-to-date
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Matthias Andree <matthias.andree@gmx.de> wrote:

> > If they're in the same physical FS there's no need for a symlink.
> > You might as well use a hardlink.
>
> And then discuss how all the time zone configuration tools deal
> with /etc/localtime - truncate/overwrite, direct overwrite ...

In that case neither a symlink nor a hardlink is safe, regardless
of whether /etc and /usr/share/timezone are in the same FS.  Either
truncate/overwrite or direct overwrite will trash the target of a
symlink just as they would the file identified by a hardlink.