Re: Some ideas about the text db
On Sun, 8 Jun 1997, David Frey wrote:
> Hi Tom,
Hi.
> > Basically, we first have a "/default" directory, which every package
> > imports its default settings into.
> >
> > User configuration is put under "/config", which means that the system
> > will first look under /config, then /default when a variable is requested.
>
> I don't see the advantage of this scheme. Please explain why it is
> favorable to have 2 configuration trees.
>
> If you wan't to have 2 trees, a better and easier approach is to have
> (standard Unix-way) a $HOME/.config/... and a /etc/config/... tree.
OK, a lot of people got confused on this one. I meant user as separate
from maintainer of the package. i.e. local sysadmin.
The point is so that defaults can easily be changed without affecting
locally set-up stuff.
> But the question is, whether you want to use the configuration database
> for all and everything (-> each user wants his/her own copy)
> or just for system-related entries (one global /etc/config is enough).
I think all and everything, but that's my opinion. Most people seem to
think minimalist is better, but even then, a global /etc/config would
still benefit from this scheme.
The main advantages of all and everything are:-
* SysAdmin can install multiple "themes", and user may select separately
from sysadmin.
* User defaults may be updated, but global defaults will also be updated -
using .fvwmrc, etc., where it is the global file _OR_ the local file which
gets processed will be worked around cleanly.
* The database is much more extensible (much like the menu package).
IMHO, the config database should extend the system in the same way the
menu package does - i.e.:-
* It is not compulsory (but probably priority Important)
* It is customizable by the user
* Still fully backward-compatible - no "proprietary code" in programs (and
more importantly scripts), unless they are special Debian programs, e.g.
dpkg (not scripts).
--
Tom Lees <tom@lpsg.demon.co.uk> <tom@debian.org> http://www.lpsg.demon.co.uk/
PGP Key: finger tom@master.debian.org, http://www.lpsg.demon.co.uk/pgpkey.txt.
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