Subject: Re: why separate system and pkg hierarchies? (was: /usr/pkg/etc/rc.d/*)
To: NetBSD-current Discussion List <current-users@netbsd.org>
From: Greywolf <greywolf@starwolf.com>
List: current-users
Date: 03/18/2003 14:48:49
Thus spake Greg A. Woods ("GAW> ") sometime Today...

GAW> Why?  What do you think you gain by separating the base system from any
GAW> of its add-on parts?  Is that gain worth the added confusion for all
GAW> your users?

Two words:  /etc/profile.  Or /etc/csh.login.

If your users know enough to tweak their $PATH from what you give them
then they know how to find whatever else may exist.

If they don't know that much, then your wise and benevolent defaults
should cover them.

If they are that concerned about where things live, then they should
probably take the time to figure it out.

If they're content to be "just users" who can't be bothered to learn
how to properly use the system, then they should let your wise and
benevolent defaults cover them, and let it go at that.

GAW> So in general I still see almost no reason to ever separate add-on
GAW> packages into their own hierarchy simply because they are not part of
GAW> the base system, especially not in systems intended for production use
GAW> as servers and what-not.

That's nice.

				--*greywolf;
--
NetBSD: we put the Net in BSD.