On Tue, May 02, 2000 at 02:02:25PM -0400, dg50@daimlerchrysler.com wrote:
> 1) The use of ASCII text files for system/program configuration is a
> Goodness.
So-so - it is good for humans but not so good for computers (why should
some process parse configuration every time? it could be better to
pre-parse it - otherwise we spent a lot of CPU cycles to do parsing).
BTW, current concept of /proc (text data in human readable form) is extremely
slow comparing to "raw" access (through ioctl() for example).
(Hey, CPU power is not limitless :))
> 2) Grouping these ASCII configuration files in a common place (instead of
> scattering them throughout the system) is also a goodness
Sure - good idea.
> 3) There exists a mountpoint that (mostly) contains these files in a
> (mostly) common space - /etc
In this case - why /etc? Why not /config, /system or /setup? If you plan to change
defaults anyway - why not to choose the proper name? ;)
> 4) This implies that /etc, as well as being a filesystem, is also a
> hierarchical registry/namespace of sorts. Poorly organized, with way too
> much stuff at the root level of the hierarchy, but still a registry.
You forgot about /usr(/local)?/lib - also a lot of config files and so on.
And, BTW, it looks more organized rather than current /etc :)
> 2) Move the special files that change system operation/configuration out of
> /proc (which really should be just for processes) into an /etc root level
> mountpoint, perhaps as /etc/dynamic or some such.
Well... I see that this is for Linux 3.* :)) Nice idea, though... At current
stage it can be implemented using symlinks, BTW. Like:
/config/kernel -> /proc/sys
> 3) On a related pet peeve, standardize on a ~/etc directory to store
> user-specific configuration files/directories, instead of a billion
> freakin' dotfiles in the user root directory
This point is related nearly exclusively to user space, so it is better to discuss
it with application developers (ha-ha, lets try to do it) :)) You just cannot force
authors to use it with help of kernel :)
> Comments?
Above ;) IMHO, of course. Just comments. My own vision(s). Nothing more :)
/Al
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