Re: Tweaking configurations
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
On 25-05-2005 00:01, Tzafrir Cohen wrote:
> On Tue, May 24, 2005 at 11:08:42PM +0200, Jonas Smedegaard wrote:
>>On 21-05-2005 14:31, Tzafrir Cohen wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, May 20, 2005 at 06:10:21PM +0200, C. Gatzemeier wrote:
>>>>Am Friday 20 May 2005 08:12 schrieb Tzafrir Cohen:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>The nice thing about elektra is that it allows you to add configuration
>>>>>to a package simply by adding files, which is very package-management
>>>>>-friendly.
The not so nice thing about Elektra - as seen from a Debian maintainers
point of view, or even more so as seen from a CDD developers point of
view - is that the software needs to be _written_ to support Elektra.
Elektra cannot be simply applied to existing software - it needs
reprogramming and recompilation of source code.
>>>>>CFG appears to require a running daemon to apply the config changes,
>>>>>right?
>>>>
>>>>Maybe that is the case with the WBEM provider version, AFAIK the layered CFG
>>>>is only a modular tool to edit configs on an enhanced abstracted level (node
>>>>hirarchy with properties).
>>
>>That seems correct: The currently actively developed variant uses a
>>so-called WBEM daemon as middle layer. The older alternative approach
>>(seemingly stalled - no CVS commits since mid of 2004) used the Xerces
>>XML engine.
>
>
> In plain unix speak: reconfiguration requires access to a daemon. If
> that daemon is not running or is badly configured, you'll have major
> problems.
No. Reconfiguration does not _require_ CFG. CFG can be used for improved
_control_ of the access to config files.
Improved control is important for idempotency when a config is possibly
messed with by both distro (at install and upgrades), CDD (at install
and upgrades, but independently from distro!) and admin (in between
install and upgrade - and also at apgrade time if asked about changes
and then invited to hack them!).
> Reconfiguration happens not only when installing packages. For instance,
> debian runs discover and hotplug fairly erarly on the boot process, even
> before /usr is guaranteed to be mounted (because that may discover the
> network adapter).
Discover and hotplug does not need improved control during bootup: They
can arrange to mess only with autogenerated files when in situations
were they cannot expect a larger toolbox like CFG to be available.
I believe that is how they both behave today. If not it is a bug!
If unconvinced then search changelog entries of ifupdown for
"/etc/network/run".
> Woudn't it be nice to be able to write configuration is such early
> stages?
In plain Debian speak: Wouldn't it be nice to be able to run
dpkg-reconfigure before /var or /usr was mounted?
Sure, but that requires large restructuring of Debian package
management. Currently package management is done only after complete
bootup (at least into single-user mode).
> What else do I need to do just to be able to configure my system? And
> why impose that limitation on debconf? hanging packages installation is
> something you really don't want. I see some circular dependencies coming
> here.
What _you_ need to configure your system is whatever editor you choose +
whatever hard dependencies chosen by each package maintainer.
Historically debconf was designed to be only a suggestion. I believe
that still today when debconf is more than a suggestion then it is the
choice of each package maintainer, not (directly) mandated by Debian Policy.
So if you worry that Debian is too bloated you should maybe use some
other distro? Maybe some distro implementing Elektra in this decade? ;-)
- Jonas
- --
* Jonas Smedegaard - idealist og Internet-arkitekt
* Tlf.: +45 40843136 Website: http://dr.jones.dk/
- Enden er nær: http://www.shibumi.org/eoti.htm
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Thunderbird - http://enigmail.mozdev.org
iD8DBQFClFxBn7DbMsAkQLgRAtKhAJ4wN0jniC7tdeWmtqr8AhpU0uz0jwCcDYsg
5cR3QDLN2BdaJqeCTISHRaQ=
=yzaA
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
Reply to: