What we keep under /etc

[Valentin Nechayev]

 Sat, Oct 09, 2004 at 14:34:27, ryans wrote about "Re: What we keep under /etc": 

> >Are you serious? Well, let's make local modifications in
> >/usr/src/etc/master.passwd, or what's the *real* difference between its
> >and /etc/rc.d/*?
> Umm... Read the discussion again. The topic isn't /ALL/ of /etc just 
> those directories that are considered part of the OS like /etc/rc.d and 
> /etc/defaults. The difference is rc.d contains only the startup scripts 
> for the operating system. All others /should/ be in /usr/local/etc/rc.d.

I think you misread me. The question was to keep modifications for existing
scripts in /etc/rc.d/*, not for non-standard scripts (it's second and
quite separate question). Of course, it's not easy-separate what should
be reinstalled unconditionally (as installworld does), and what should be
explicitly asked, in spite that there are scripts in binary directories.
But it seemed some time ago that /etc/ contains configs, not programs; and,
configs are subject for probable tweaking. If one doesn't want to suppose
them as configs, place them, e.g., as /sbin/rc.d/* (as some Unixes do).

> As for the comment about many different machines using the same source 
> tree. Those modifications, as it is my understanding, should be in 
> /usr/local/etc/rc.d not in /etc/rc.d.

Well, read /etc/rc and name working way as to use them instead same-named
files from /etc/rc.d. Should be taken into account, that /etc/rc starts
unsually without mounted file systems except root one, and that dependencies
might be recalculated.

> That's what the whole /usr/local 
> is there for is it not? If you need to disable the scripts in /etc/rc.d 
> with their respective rc.conf values and then roll your changes in 
> /usr/local/etc/rc.d. Or am I missing something there?

Yes, see above.


-netch-