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Date:      Fri, 01 Sep 2000 02:34:02 +0900
From:      "Daniel C. Sobral" <dcs@newsguy.com>
To:        "Jacques A. Vidrine" <n@nectar.com>
Cc:        freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Request for review: nsswitch
Message-ID:  <39AE970A.30208A56@newsguy.com>
References:  <20000830071347.A1167@hamlet.nectar.com> <39AD222B.CE9A26B5@newsguy.com> <20000830132053.A15387@hamlet.nectar.com>

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"Jacques A. Vidrine" wrote:
> 
> On Thu, Aug 31, 2000 at 12:03:07AM +0900, Daniel C. Sobral wrote:
> > Being guilty of not having looked at it at all, but this sounds like a
> > typical case where we would want a /etc/defaults/nsswitch.conf with
> > overrides in /etc/nsswitch.conf...?
> 
> I'm not sure I agree.  The types of things that have configuration
> exampes in /etc/defaults are quite complicated.  nsswitch.conf is simple
> and described entirely in the man page.  Also, if there is no
> /etc/nsswitch.conf, the internal defaults are sane.

The criteria is the following: if we need to install a file containing
defaults and the user needs to tweak the configuration, then we use
defaults.

The reason is the following: when upgrading, merging changes to defaults
against user modifications is not only very hard, but we have no support
for it at all with our tools.

I know of two exceptions:

1. Some files are (were?) installed as "sample". This is used when user
modification is absolutely required to get the thing going (though it
has been misused elsewhere; pccardd, for instance).

2. /boot/loader.rc is never overwritten, but a default is installed if
not present. I did this not to rock the boat when loader.conf stuff was
introduced, and because a previously working version of loader.rc would
continue to work fine. That said, this one I have never been comfortable
with.

Anyway, if there is not default file being installed, then, indeed, the
/etc/defaults thingy is not needed at all.

-- 
Daniel C. Sobral			(8-DCS)
dcs@newsguy.com
dcs@freebsd.org
capo@white.bunnies.bsdconspiracy.net

	OK, so the solar flares are my fault.. I am sorry, ok?!?!




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