> > Why should everyone on earth have to write one?

>Only the people who want config files have to write one.  (I don't use
>a wrapper script when I invoke build.sh, for example ... so really the
>answer to your question is "not everone on earth *has* to write one.")

I think the term "config file" is a problem.  I agree that any such file
would be gross.  _BUT_ build.sh takes a squillion args and many
folk need/want the same ones everytime they run it.  Having build.sh
do

rc=${0%/*}/.build.conf
[ -s $rc ] && . $rc

doesn't seem like a bad idea.  As for /etc/build.conf - I think that
_is_ a bad idea.

--sjg