[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: Moving /tmp to tmpfs is fine



* Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk> [120527 17:25]:
> Creating arbitrarily large temporary files outside the user's home
> directory is generally going to be unreliable.

The only thing more unreliable than that is creating arbitrary large
file in user's home directory. If it is not supposed to be persistent
data that is available on every node the user can log in, then it does
not belong into the home directory (unless the user explicitly choose
to set TMPDIR there). The home directory can be quite slow (because
being remote, being encrypted, ...) and quite scarce (permanent storage
on server discs with redudancy and backup strategies is not that cheap).

Unless a program is explicitly told otherwise, temporary files belong
to TMPDIR and if that is not set to /tmp. (or any subdirectory thereof
the programs like to create). If that is too small, then it is too
small. The admin is able to configure /tmp differently, the user is
able to set TMPDIR differently.

my 0.02:
I personally think having tmpdir on /tmp might be a good default for
new systems. If systems get changed to that from something else on
upgrade without asking, I consider that quite an ugly bug.

        Bernhard R. Link


Reply to: