This bug is still an issue...tested in latest Hardy.  The problem is that daemontools-installer first encounters problems with /etc/inittab...


<snip>
root@khermans-laptop:~# build-daemontools 

This script unpacks the daemontools source into a directory, and
compiles it to produce a binary daemontools*.deb file.

The directory where this is done will end up containing the source
and package files for the daemontools binary package, along with a
directory containing the unpacked source.

Enter a directory where you would like to do this [/tmp/daemontools] 


Please select package format
 The "djb" format is the way that daemontools would be installed if you
 downloaded the source yourself and compiled it.  This will create several
 new top-level directories such as /package and /command.  It will also
 use /service as the service directory.
 .
 The "fhs" format is an FHS-compatible format which installes all binaries
 in /usr/bin, and uses /var/lib/svscan as the service directory.  This format
 is NOT recommended as it will most likely not be supported by DJB or any
 of his mailing lists.
 .
 *IMPORTANT* if you choose the DJB version, a new directory called /service
 will be created.  If you are upgrading from an old release, you may or may
 not have a symlink pointing from /service to /var/lib/svscan.  Either way,
 before upgrading I suggest you remove this symlink and then copy the existing
 data from /var/lib/svscan to /service after the upgrade.

Which format would you like to use? [fD] 

Binary package daemontools will be compiled now
This can take long time, depending on your machine

If you want me to apply any patches, please make sure that
they are located in /usr/src/daemontools-installer/patches/.

Press ENTER to continue...
Attempting to apply patches located in /usr/src/daemontools-installer/patches...
/usr/src/daemontools-installer/patches/errno.patch
patching file src/error.h
/usr/src/daemontools-installer/patches/fileutils.patch
patching file src/rts.tests
dh_testdir
package/compile
Linking ./src/* into ./compile...
Compiling everything in ./compile...
make[1]: Entering directory `/tmp/daemontools/admin/daemontools-0.76/compile'
sh find-systype.sh > systype
rm -f compile
sh print-cc.sh > compile
chmod 555 compile
./compile byte_chr.c
./compile byte_copy.c
./compile byte_cr.c
./compile byte_diff.c
./compile byte_rchr.c
./compile fmt_uint.c
./compile fmt_uint0.c
./compile fmt_ulong.c
rm -f makelib
sh print-ar.sh > makelib
chmod 555 makelib
./compile scan_ulong.c
./compile str_chr.c
./compile str_diff.c
./compile str_len.c
./compile str_start.c
./makelib byte.a byte_chr.o byte_copy.o byte_cr.o byte_diff.o \
        byte_rchr.o fmt_uint.o fmt_uint0.o fmt_ulong.o scan_ulong.o str_chr.o \
        str_diff.o str_len.o str_start.o
rm -f choose
cat warn-auto.sh choose.sh \
        | sed s}HOME}"`head -1 home`"}g \
        > choose
chmod 555 choose
./choose c trydrent direntry.h1 direntry.h2 > direntry.h
./compile envdir.c
rm -f load
sh print-ld.sh > load
chmod 555 load
./compile alloc.c
./compile alloc_re.c
./compile buffer.c
./compile buffer_0.c
./compile buffer_1.c
./compile buffer_2.c
./compile buffer_get.c
./compile buffer_put.c
./compile buffer_read.c
./compile buffer_write.c
./compile coe.c
./compile env.c
./compile error.c
./compile error_str.c
./compile fd_copy.c
./compile fd_move.c
./choose cl trymkffo hasmkffo.h1 hasmkffo.h2 > hasmkffo.h
./compile fifo.c
./choose cl tryflock hasflock.h1 hasflock.h2 > hasflock.h
./compile lock_ex.c
./compile lock_exnb.c
./compile ndelay_off.c
./compile ndelay_on.c
./compile open_append.c
./compile open_read.c
./compile open_trunc.c
./compile open_write.c
./compile openreadclose.c
./compile pathexec_env.c
./compile pathexec_run.c
pathexec_run.c: In function ‘pathexec_run’:
pathexec_run.c:18: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘execve’
./compile chkshsgr.c
chkshsgr.c: In function ‘main’:
chkshsgr.c:10: warning: passing argument 2 of ‘getgroups’ from incompatible pointer type
chkshsgr.c:10: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘setgroups’
./load chkshsgr 
./chkshsgr || ( cat warn-shsgr; exit 1 )
./choose clr tryshsgr hasshsgr.h1 hasshsgr.h2 > hasshsgr.h
./compile prot.c
prot.c: In function ‘prot_gid’:
prot.c:13: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘setgroups’
prot.c:15: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘setgid’
prot.c: In function ‘prot_uid’:
prot.c:20: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘setuid’
./compile readclose.c
./compile seek_set.c
seek_set.c: In function ‘seek_set’:
seek_set.c:9: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘lseek’
./compile sgetopt.c
./compile sig.c
./choose cl trysgprm hassgprm.h1 hassgprm.h2 > hassgprm.h
./compile sig_block.c
./choose cl trysgact hassgact.h1 hassgact.h2 > hassgact.h
./compile sig_catch.c
./compile sig_pause.c
./compile stralloc_cat.c
./compile stralloc_catb.c
./compile stralloc_cats.c
./compile stralloc_eady.c
./compile stralloc_opyb.c
./compile stralloc_opys.c
./compile stralloc_pend.c
./compile strerr_die.c
./compile strerr_sys.c
./compile subgetopt.c
./choose cl trywaitp haswaitp.h1 haswaitp.h2 > haswaitp.h
./compile wait_nohang.c
./compile wait_pid.c
./makelib unix.a alloc.o alloc_re.o buffer.o buffer_0.o buffer_1.o \
        buffer_2.o buffer_get.o buffer_put.o buffer_read.o buffer_write.o \
        coe.o env.o error.o error_str.o fd_copy.o fd_move.o fifo.o lock_ex.o \
        lock_exnb.o ndelay_off.o ndelay_on.o open_append.o open_read.o \
        open_trunc.o open_write.o openreadclose.o pathexec_env.o \
        pathexec_run.o prot.o readclose.o seek_set.o sgetopt.o sig.o \
        sig_block.o sig_catch.o sig_pause.o stralloc_cat.o stralloc_catb.o \
        stralloc_cats.o stralloc_eady.o stralloc_opyb.o stralloc_opys.o \
        stralloc_pend.o strerr_die.o strerr_sys.o subgetopt.o wait_nohang.o \
        wait_pid.o
./load envdir unix.a byte.a 
./compile envuidgid.c
./load envuidgid unix.a byte.a 
./compile fghack.c
./load fghack unix.a byte.a 
./compile match.c
./compile matchtest.c
matchtest.c: In function ‘main’:
matchtest.c:22: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘_exit’
matchtest.c:22: warning: incompatible implicit declaration of built-in function ‘_exit’
./load matchtest match.o unix.a byte.a 
./choose clr trypoll iopause.h1 iopause.h2 > iopause.h
./choose clr tryulong64 uint64.h1 uint64.h2 > uint64.h
./compile deepsleep.c
./compile multilog.c
multilog.c: In function ‘startprocessor’:
multilog.c:200: warning: passing argument 2 of ‘execve’ from incompatible pointer type
multilog.c: In function ‘fullcurrent’:
multilog.c:216: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘rename’
./choose c trysysel select.h1 select.h2 > select.h
./compile iopause.c
./compile tai_now.c
./compile tai_pack.c
./compile tai_sub.c
./compile tai_unpack.c
./compile taia_add.c
./compile taia_approx.c
./compile taia_frac.c
./compile taia_less.c
./compile taia_now.c
./compile taia_pack.c
./compile taia_sub.c
./compile taia_uint.c
./makelib time.a iopause.o tai_now.o tai_pack.o tai_sub.o \
        tai_unpack.o taia_add.o taia_approx.o taia_frac.o taia_less.o \
        taia_now.o taia_pack.o taia_sub.o taia_uint.o
./compile timestamp.c
./load multilog deepsleep.o timestamp.o match.o time.a unix.a byte.a 
./compile pgrphack.c
./load pgrphack unix.a byte.a 
./compile readproctitle.c
./load readproctitle unix.a byte.a 
./compile setlock.c
./load setlock unix.a byte.a 
./compile setuidgid.c
./load setuidgid unix.a byte.a 
./compile softlimit.c
./load softlimit unix.a byte.a 
./compile supervise.c
supervise.c: In function ‘announce’:
supervise.c:78: warning: implicit declaration of function ‘rename’
supervise.c: In function ‘trystart’:
supervise.c:102: warning: passing argument 2 of ‘execve’ from incompatible pointer type
./load supervise deepsleep.o time.a unix.a byte.a 
./compile svc.c
./load svc unix.a byte.a 
./compile svok.c
./load svok unix.a byte.a 
./compile svscan.c
svscan.c: In function ‘start’:
svscan.c:104: warning: passing argument 3 of ‘pathexec_run’ from incompatible pointer type
svscan.c:123: warning: passing argument 3 of ‘pathexec_run’ from incompatible pointer type
./load svscan unix.a byte.a 
rm -f svscanboot
cat warn-auto.sh svscanboot.sh \
        | sed s}HOME}"`head -1 home`"}g \
        > svscanboot
chmod 555 svscanboot
./compile svstat.c
./load svstat time.a unix.a byte.a 
./compile tai64n.c
./load tai64n timestamp.o time.a unix.a byte.a 
./compile tai64nlocal.c
./load tai64nlocal unix.a byte.a 
env - /bin/sh rts.tests 2>&1 | cat -v > rts
rm -f sysdeps
cat systype compile load >> sysdeps
grep sysdep direntry.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep haswaitp.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep hassgact.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep hassgprm.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep select.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep uint64.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep iopause.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep hasmkffo.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep hasflock.h >> sysdeps
grep sysdep hasshsgr.h >> sysdeps
make[1]: Leaving directory `/tmp/daemontools/admin/daemontools-0.76/compile'
Copying commands into ./command...
touch build-stamp
dh_testdir
dh_testroot
dh_clean -k
dh_clean: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_installdirs
dh_installdirs: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
mkdir -p debian/daemontools/package/admin/daemontools-0.76
mkdir -p debian/daemontools/command
mkdir -p debian/daemontools/usr/share/daemontools
mkdir -p debian/daemontools/service
cp -a command debian/daemontools/package/admin/daemontools-0.76
cp -a compile debian/daemontools/package/admin/daemontools-0.76
cp -a package debian/daemontools/package/admin/daemontools-0.76
cp -a src debian/daemontools/package/admin/daemontools-0.76
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/package usr/share/daemontools/package
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76 package/admin/daemontools
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/envdir command/envdir
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/envuidgid command/envuidgid
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/fghack command/fghack
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/multilog command/multilog
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/pgrphack command/pgrphack
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/readproctitle command/readproctitle
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/setlock command/setlock
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/setuidgid command/setuidgid
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/softlimit command/softlimit
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/supervise command/supervise
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/svc command/svc
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/svok command/svok
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/svscan command/svscan
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/svscanboot command/svscanboot
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/svstat command/svstat
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/tai64n command/tai64n
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link package/admin/daemontools-0.76/command/tai64nlocal command/tai64nlocal
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
mkdir -p debian/daemontools/usr/local/bin
dh_link command/envdir usr/local/bin/envdir
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/envuidgid usr/local/bin/envuidgid
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/fghack usr/local/bin/fghack
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/multilog usr/local/bin/multilog
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/pgrphack usr/local/bin/pgrphack
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/readproctitle usr/local/bin/readproctitle
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/setlock usr/local/bin/setlock
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/setuidgid usr/local/bin/setuidgid
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/softlimit usr/local/bin/softlimit
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/supervise usr/local/bin/supervise
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svc usr/local/bin/svc
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svok usr/local/bin/svok
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svscan usr/local/bin/svscan
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svscanboot usr/local/bin/svscanboot
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svstat usr/local/bin/svstat
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/tai64n usr/local/bin/tai64n
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/tai64nlocal usr/local/bin/tai64nlocal
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
mkdir -p debian/daemontools/usr/bin
dh_link command/envdir usr/bin/envdir
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/envuidgid usr/bin/envuidgid
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/fghack usr/bin/fghack
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/multilog usr/bin/multilog
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/pgrphack usr/bin/pgrphack
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/readproctitle usr/bin/readproctitle
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/setlock usr/bin/setlock
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/setuidgid usr/bin/setuidgid
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/softlimit usr/bin/softlimit
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/supervise usr/bin/supervise
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svc usr/bin/svc
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svok usr/bin/svok
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svscan usr/bin/svscan
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svscanboot usr/bin/svscanboot
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/svstat usr/bin/svstat
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/tai64n usr/bin/tai64n
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link command/tai64nlocal usr/bin/tai64nlocal
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_testdir
dh_testroot
dh_installdocs
dh_installdocs: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_installchangelogs src/CHANGES
dh_installchangelogs: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_link
dh_link: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_strip
dh_strip: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_compress
dh_compress: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_fixperms
dh_fixperms: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_installdeb
dh_installdeb: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_shlibdeps
dh_shlibdeps: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_gencontrol
dh_gencontrol: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dh_md5sums
dh_md5sums: Compatibility levels before 4 are deprecated.
dpkg-deb -b debian/daemontools ..
dpkg-deb: building package `daemontools' in `../daemontools_0.76-9_i386.deb'.

It seems that all went ok

Do you want to remove all files in /tmp/daemontools,
except daemontools_0.76-9_i386.deb now? [Yn] 
Removing files... done

Do you want to install daemontools_0.76-9_i386.deb now? [Yn] 
Selecting previously deselected package daemontools.
(Reading database ... 110631 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking daemontools (from daemontools_0.76-9_i386.deb) ...
Setting up daemontools (0.76-9) ...
grep: /etc/inittab: No such file or directory
Adding svscanboot to inittab...
cat: /etc/inittab: No such file or directory
dpkg: error processing daemontools (--install):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 daemontools

Do you want to purge daemontools-installer now? [yN] 

Good luck!

root@khermans-laptop:~# 
</snip>