Subject: re: rc.d
To: None <fvdl@netbsd.org, tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Hubert Feyrer <feyrer@rfhs8012.fh-regensburg.de>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 03/15/2000 00:42:10
Frank,

it's nice we got a step in one direction, but looking at things, it seems
that it was rather two steps in one. not only did luke break up /etc/rc,
but also did he invent a lot of magic that we have to deal with now.
we, that is developers, pkg developers, sysadmins, and anyone
training people to use a system.

I gave a sysadmin course last semester. explaining the BSD scheme then was
easy, SysV needed more words. Now looking at /etc/rc.subr, it seems there
are even more words necessary to make people use our new system as
intended. I don't think this helps here.

I think that companies like Sun and SGI could have invented all these
macros that we have now as well, but I really appreciate it they didn't. 
On their system, I can look at one of their rc.d (or whatever) files, and
with some shell knowledge, figure out what's in it. 

On NetBSD, we have to take one more step, and read and understand rc.subr
before. We, that's developers, admin-users, and educators (if there's
really anyone couragous enough daring to teach this). 

From the bit i've played with the new rc.d scheme, I'd felt most easy if
that magic would be undone. 


 - Hubert

-- 
Microsoft: "Where do you want to go today?"
Linux:     "Where do you want to be tomorrow?"
BSD:       "Are you guys coming, or what?"