Proposal: Fedora should install with IPv6 disabled by default [was: Re: Disabling ipv6]

[Fernando Lozano]

Hi,
> On 12.07.2013 18:44, Fernando Lozano wrote:
> …
>> So, ifconfig or ip or whatever would have to disable IPv6 for any
>> interface that does not having an explicit IPv6 address. I'd think it
>> would be easier to have the default eth*-cfg files and Network Manager
>> disable IPv6 unless the user tells them to enable.
> Looks like you're reading a lot of documents, so it wouldn't be bad to
> also read these[1] quite simple guidelines.
> Take into consideration that some of distro binaries are built with an
> IPv6 on mind.
>
> [1] https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/networking/ipv6.txt
Your "guidelines" are none at all. Those are docs for a kernel module,
their options. Important docs, but just "command reference", not guidelines.

Unfortunately those module options are currently not being honored (bug
already opened). Changing those defaults (specifically, disabled=1 being
the new default) would be a way to implement what I propose. But I guess
it would not be easy for NetworkManager to change this and reload ipv6
module. Maybe I'm wrong abou that.

About binaries requiring ipv6, that's like expecting a package that
needs a database to create the database as part of its install. Most
ones I tried won't -- they will depend on the database client package,
but will need the user/sysadmin to setup the database before starting
the software included on the package. IPv6 disabled would be just like
that: whoever installs something that requires IPv6 enabled would simply
have to enable it.

Defaults should suit most users. Not a minority that requires IPv6
enabled and how how to manage it.


[]s, Fernando Lozano