The following reply was made to PR pkg/27195; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: "Jeremy C. Reed" <reed@reedmedia.net>
To: gnats-bugs@NetBSD.org
Cc: 
Subject: Re: pkg/27195 (removing amanda package suggests removing the "operator"
 group) 
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 09:57:06 -0500 (CDT)

 On Fri, 20 Oct 2006, Simon Burge wrote:
 >    bigkev 116> find /var/db/pkg.refcount/[gu]*
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/groups
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/groups/operator
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/groups/operator/+PREEXISTING
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/groups/operator/amanda-common-2.4.4p4nb4
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/users
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/users/backup
 >    /var/db/pkg.refcount/users/backup/+PREEXISTING
 ...
 
 > It looks like the refcounting doesn't include existing "system"
 > accounts.  I'm also not sure how it would do that, making a distinction
 > between accounts that were originally created by pkgsrc and pre-existing
 > accounts on the system.  It'd be nice to think of a way that doesn't
 > need a hard-coded list of OS-dependant system users and groups...
 
 It has a function "group_exists" and if it exists it is supposed to be 
 listed in +PREEXISTING. I see you have those above.
 
 That file should contain the name of package that created it.
 
 Looks like the problem is in CHECK-REMOVE action in 
 mk/pkginstall/usergroup -- it doesn't check the +PREEXISTING.
 
 I think it could still give the current message plus mention that the 
 group (or user) existed before any package was installed.