diff --git a/doc/dnf5.conf.5.rst b/doc/dnf5.conf.5.rst index 46e45bddb..1bdecf83a 100644 --- a/doc/dnf5.conf.5.rst +++ b/doc/dnf5.conf.5.rst @@ -652,23 +652,50 @@ configuration. ``countme`` :ref:`boolean ` - Determines whether a special flag should be added to a single, randomly - chosen metalink/mirrorlist query each week. - This allows the repository owner to estimate the number of systems - consuming it, by counting such queries over a week's time, which is much - more accurate than just counting unique IP addresses (which is subject to - both overcounting and undercounting due to short DHCP leases and NAT, - respectively). - - The flag is a simple "countme=N" parameter appended to the metalink and - mirrorlist URL, where N is an integer representing the "longevity" bucket - this system belongs to. - The following 4 buckets are defined, based on how many full weeks have - passed since the beginning of the week when this system was installed: 1 = - first week, 2 = first month (2-4 weeks), 3 = six months (5-24 weeks) and 4 - = more than six months (> 24 weeks). - This information is meant to help distinguish short-lived installs from - long-term ones, and to gather other statistics about system lifecycle. + When enabled, one (and only one) HTTP GET request for the metalink file + will be selected at random every week to carry a special URL flag. + + This flag allows the repository provider to estimate the number of systems + consuming the repository, by counting such requests over a week's time. + This method is more accurate than just counting unique IP addresses (which + is subject to both overcounting and undercounting due to short DHCP leases + and NAT, respectively). + + This is *not* an out-of-band HTTP request made for this purpose alone. + Only requests initiated by DNF during normal operation, such as to check + for metadata updates, can get this flag. + + The flag is a simple "countme=N" parameter appended to the metalink URL + where N is an integer representing the age "bucket" this system belongs to. + Four buckets are defined, based on how many full weeks have passed since + the installation of a system: + + ====== =============================== + bucket system age + ====== =============================== + 1 first week + 2 first month (2 - 4 weeks) + 3 first 6 months (5 - 24 weeks) + 4 more than 6 months (> 24 weeks) + ====== =============================== + + This number is meant to help distinguish short-lived (throwaway) machines + from long-term installs and get a better picture of how systems are used + over time. + + To determine a system's installation time ("epoch"), the ``machine-id(5)`` + file's modification time is used as the single source of truth. This file + is semantically tied to the system's lifetime as it's typically populated + at installation time or during the first boot by an installer tool or init + system (such as ``systemd(1)``), respectively, and remains unchanged. + + If the file is empty or missing (such as in containers), the time of the + very first request made using the expanded metalink URL (i.e. with any + repository variables such as ``$releasever`` substituted) that carried the + flag is declared as the epoch. + + If no metalink URL is defined for this repository but a mirrorlist URL is, + the latter is used for this purpose instead. Default: ``False``.