Subject: Re: /usr/pkg/etc vs. /etc
To: Curt Sampson <cjs@cynic.net>
From: Computo Ergo Checksum <greywolf@starwolf.com>
List: tech-pkg
Date: 12/10/1998 18:00:54
Curt Sampson sez:
/*
* On Thu, 10 Dec 1998, proprietor - Foo Bar And Grill wrote:
*
* > Have we (please excuse the royal "we") considered a central point for
* > configuration files, i.e. ${dir}/conf/${program}/* for each
* > program? It would certainly centralize a lot of things.
*
* I don't get your meaning here. We already do have a central point
* for configuration files: /etc. :-) What would $dir be? And are you
* talking about just packages, or everything?
Actually, it does seem you've caught my meaning quite well, if you're
implying that configuration files should NOT be shared between machines,
a point with which, for better or for worse, I happen to agree.
*
* I do approve of the idea of making subdirectories in /etc for
* programs that have more than one configuration file (/etc/uucp is
* a good example).
We're definitely on the same wavelength here....
*
* One of the reasons I like to centralise all configuration information
[sensible reasons given]
* To summarise, I think we should keep the configuration files in
* one place (and that place being a `local' place for each computer)
YES!
* > ...everything else goes to /pkg or, more appropriately, /usr/local.
* > [The pkg database keeps track of what's where; why not put it in /usr/local?
*
* I feel that keeping /usr/local untouched by the standard OS tools
* is a Good Thing.
Yes, I think that's what I tried to say when I said that the OS stuff gets
installed relative to / or to /mnt, depending.
* That's the sysadmin's area, and he should be able
* to have confidence that if he puts anything there, it's going to
* stay there unchanged, and that if he deletes anyuthing there it's
* not going to affect a program not installed under /usr/local.
Yep.
*
* > We've got /, /usr/local and /usr/X11(R6) -- that's three hierarchies,
* > not counting src. Isn't that enough?]
*
* Yeah, I think so personally. On the other hand, if you're one of
* the people creating pkgsrc stuff, it's really, really handy to be
* able to blow away /usr/pkg or whatever, and know that it's all
* cleared out.
Yeah, but that's _creating_ as a developer, not _installing_ as an
end-"user", and development has repeatedly proven to require its
own hierarchy.
* (Working on a PLIST otherwise tends to leave unused
* files scattered all over your filesystems. Yecch.)
Yecch squared.
*/
I hope I'm making some sense here; your reply of confidence.
--*greywolf;
--
# greywolf@starwolf.com
# "...to raise a signal means to turn the light on; ... Responding to a
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