> > The problem with this approach is that it makes it more difficult for 
> > install scripts to work configuration magic.  Note how the sparc and 
> > hp300 install scripts have an easy time configuring network interfaces, 
> > hostname, etc. by simply creating the appropriate files, rather than 
> > having to go through a complex editing process on a file which won't 
> > contain any special keywords like __REPLACE_ME, or whatever.
> 
> If /etc/rc.conf is 'done right', install scripts should be able to go
> through it without 'complex editing.'
>

I like the rc.conf idea.

[...]
> with something like that, to change a configuration variable (in sh)
> you'd do:
> 
> . /etc/rc.conf
> CONFIG_VARIABLE=foobar
> 
> mv /etc/rc.conf /etc/rc.conf.bak
> . /etc/format.rc.conf > /etc/rc.conf
>

How about naming these variables `_RCGEN_FOO=foo' and have the generating
script search the environment for `_RCGEN_*', chopp of the prefix and
insert the result in `rc.conf'?

This way you can include it in, say, rc.local too to deal with "package"
configurations.

-pk