on /etc/sysconfig

[Simo Sorce]

On Mon, 2011-07-18 at 21:16 +0200, Lennart Poettering wrote:
> On Mon, 18.07.11 15:13, Simo Sorce (simo at redhat.com) wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 2011-07-18 at 20:57 +0200, Lennart Poettering wrote:
> > > On Mon, 18.07.11 20:54, Michał Piotrowski (mkkp4x4 at gmail.com) wrote:
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > > Hi,
> > > > 
> > > > 2011/7/18 Neal Becker <ndbecker2 at gmail.com>:
> > > > > This article recommends ending /etc/sysconfig
> > > > >
> > > > > http://0pointer.de/blog/projects/on-etc-sysinit.html
> > > > >
> > > > 
> > > > Generally speaking I like the idea of dropping /etc/sysconfig. I think
> > > > the right way it keeping minimal, standardized configuration in
> > > > /etc/services.conf/ or something like that.
> > > 
> > > No. There is no need for a directory that replaces /etc/sysconfig. It's
> > > borked. If a daemon has not configuration file but should have one, then
> > > fix the daemon, don't fake a configuration file.
> > 
> > Some daemons cannot be "fixed", get over with this mantra that daemons
> > need be fixed Lennart.
> 
> Hmm? Which ones in fedora can't? Are you suggesting we are shipping
> software that cannot be modified? If so, please explain which one that
> is, since we need to remove it from the distro then. Fedora only
> includess Free Software, and software that cannot be modified would not
> qualify as that.

Asking some upstream to add a whole configuration file reading subsystem
to extremely simple daemons that accept a handful of command line
options can be rightfully answered with a simple "no".

Command line options are nothing wrong and have been around for ages,
there is nothing to "fix" in daemons that do not read a config file.

But most of the changes in this area look gratuitous to me. They will
cause significant changes in admin tools and configurations and
therefore significant grief.

Note that I am not necessarily against changing stuff in the long term,
when I started there was no /etc/sysconfig, and I won't cry if it goes
away and is replaced with a bunch of 'different' config files, big
deal ... same stuff just in different places, what a revolution!

But your attitude of defining 'broken' anything that doesn't conform to
your view of the world, is frankly tiring and not constructive.

Simo.

-- 
Simo Sorce * Red Hat, Inc * New York