[Pkg-lirc-maint] Bug#513769: dpkg-reconfigure lirc always fails

[The Eclectic One]

Package: lirc
Version: 0.8.3-3
Severity: grave
Justification: renders package unusable

# dpkg-reconfigure lirc
Stopping lirc daemon: irexec lircmd lircd.
.udevdb or .udev presence implies active udev.  Aborting MAKEDEV invocation.
##################################################
## LIRC IS NOT CONFIGURED                       ##
##                                              ##
## read /usr/share/doc/lirc/html/configure.html ##
##################################################
Additional hint: Either /etc/lirc/lircd.conf or
 /etc/lirc/hardware.conf doesn't exist or either
 of the two has the string UNCONFIGURED in it at
 some important place. Try: 'dpkg-reconfigure lirc'
Starting lirc daemon:.

But lircd is never started.  Trying the same command again results in
the same messages and lirc is still not configured.  In fact,
/etc/lirc/lircd.conf begins with #UNCONFIGURED (both files
referenced in the error message above exist).  It seems counter-intuitive
that configuring the package doesn't actually do it.  Shouldn't the
dpkg-reconfigure scripts do what lirc needs to work properly, and
mark it as configured (ie: removing the #UNCONFIGURED line)?

This is on a new Lenny installation on a blank disk, so there are no
leftovers from previous versions.  I'll do whatever testing is
required if the problem can't be isolated.  Just let me know.

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 5.0
  APT prefers testing
  APT policy: (500, 'testing')
Architecture: i386 (i686)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.26-1-686 (SMP w/1 CPU core)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

Versions of packages lirc depends on:
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]        1.5.24      Debian configuration management sy
ii  libasound2                   1.0.16-2    ALSA library
ii  libc6                        2.7-18      GNU C Library: Shared libraries
ii  liblircclient0               0.8.3-3     infra-red remote control support -
ii  libusb-0.1-4                 2:0.1.12-13 userspace USB programming library

lirc recommends no packages.

Versions of packages lirc suggests:
ii  lirc-modules-source           0.8.3-3    infra-red remote control support -
pn  lirc-svga                     <none>     (no description available)
pn  lirc-x                        <none>     (no description available)

-- debconf information:
  lirc/take_care_of_old_config:
  lirc/install_devices: true
  lirc/irq:
  lirc/lircd_conf:
  lirc/reconfigure: false
  lirc/lircmd_conf:
  lirc/remove_var-log-lircd: true
  lirc/driver:
  lirc/port:
  lirc/device:
  lirc/should-use-IntelliMouse:
  lirc/cflags:
  lirc/timer:
  lirc/modules: