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Date:      Fri, 19 Apr 2002 22:48:46 -0500
From:      D J Hawkey Jr <hawkeyd@visi.com>
To:        Calvin NG <calvinng@brel.com>
Cc:        DougB@FreeBSD.ORG, freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: /etc/defaults/rc.conf theory
Message-ID:  <20020419224846.A10089@sheol.localdomain>
In-Reply-To: <20020420111130.C6261@brel.com>; from calvinng@brel.com on Sat, Apr 20, 2002 at 11:11:30AM %2B0800
References:  <20020419225855.E7E575D05_ptavv.es.net@ns.sol.net> <20020419181021.X18267-100000_zoot.corp.yahoo.com@ns.sol.net> <200204200256.g3K2uOu10038@sheol.localdomain> <20020420111130.C6261@brel.com>

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On Apr 20, at 11:11 AM, Calvin NG wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
>   I believe when people say copy rc.conf from /etc/defaults/ into
>   /etc/, and go throught it line by line, they really mean, 
>   1) copy rc.conf from /etc/defaults/  to /etc/
>   2) go through it line by line, deleting every line that you want 
>      leave as default.  Make changes to the site specific stuff, 
>      like  sshd_enable=YES
> 
>   At the end of the whole exercise, you will get that small rc.conf
>   again that is tailored to your server's need.
> 
>   Same applies for make.conf and other /etc/defaults/  files.
> 
>   Does that make sense?

What you state is not unlike the current situation (sorry for the double-
negative). I hope you're correct in your assessment. As I wrote, I missed
the original "Head's Up".

I have to wonder though, what an initial /etc/rc.conf will look like, as
set by /stand/sysinstall. Will it be the small file we're all used to,
or will it be more like that as found in /etc/defaults? My hope is the
former.

Now, I write that in complete ignorance, as I don't, nor will I, run
-STABLE on my boxen, preferring -RELEASE-pN.

>   I for one can see the rationale of the new rc.conf changes, where
>   everything is off, and all things that are turned on is reflected
>   in the _ONE_ /etc/rc.conf  file.

If that's what this is all about, then I probably came off as some sort
of Chicken Little alarmist, which certainly wasn't my intent. I would
have no problem with this, though, as Doug wrote, the sendmail thang
seemed, um, half-baked and unresolved, if not controversial, the last I
saw of it.

I would still stand by my comments regarding consistancy, even after
being enlightened by you: If everything is off in /etc/defaults/rc.conf,
then it stands to reason everything should be off/voided/negated in the
other /etc/defaults files as well, by the time 4.6-RELEASE rolls out.

For me, consistancy is one of FreeBSD's greatest strengths. In the short
time I've been using it (three minor versions), I've not found too many
aberrations, and I have a critical eye for that. With that said, I don't
consider the "some things on, some things off" setup in the existing
/etc/defaults files inconsistancies per se, but rather just the way the
system [should] start[s] up.

>   I got bitten by it, (inetd not started), but I am not complaining, 
>   I blame myself for failing to pay attention to changes in _MY_ server.

And thay may allude to my other contention, that the userbase be made
aware of all this well before the change, by as many means as possible.
By that I mean more than an announcement in this list, or a sentence in
/usr/src/UPDATING; I mean something really "in your face", at least for
the first time. _Especially_ for an upgrade.

Whether you were bitten by a lack of knowledge or not, I'm sure others
will be.

---

So, I guess I did make a fool of myself eh? Ach. Wasn't the first time,
and it won't be the last.

> Regards,
> /calvin

Thanks,
Dave

-- 
  ______________________                         ______________________
  \__________________   \    D. J. HAWKEY JR.   /   __________________/
     \________________/\     hawkeyd@visi.com    /\________________/
                      http://www.visi.com/~hawkeyd/


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