Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 13:34:51 +0900 From: "Daniel C. Sobral" <dcs@newsguy.com> To: Robert Watson <robert+freebsd@cyrus.watson.org> Cc: paul@originative.co.uk, current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: HEADS UP: new loader.rc stuff Message-ID: <36E747EB.A6CFA403@newsguy.com> References: <Pine.BSF.3.96.990310193047.27517B-100000@fledge.watson.org>
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Robert Watson wrote: > > So this is actually just a general response to the whole thing--one of the > things I actually dislike about rc.conf is its flexibility: the user can > put anything script-wise they like into it. My temptation would be to > reduce the flexibility: to have a simple name:value configuration file > (with appropriate extensions for lists, quoted strings, etc) that is > guaranteed to be readable by any third-party (or even first-party :) > automated configuration programs. Depending on your mood, the name field > could even be MIB-like (boot.runaway: yes). > > It just seems like sometimes scripts give too much flexibility :-); rather > than providing useful increased functionality, they improve the chances > that the user will screw themselves by taking advantage of it in ways that > confuse automated utilities such as configuration checkers, managers, etc. Well, the idea behind loader.conf is *reducing* flexibility, in a way... :-) There are features in it that make it that still gives a lot of flexibility, to be able to deal with unexpected situations. But loader.conf syntax is <variable>="<value>", with # treated like bourne shell do. The loader.rc file contains commands in a very flexible language, making it virtually impossible for automated tools to modify it. So, loader.conf. -- Daniel C. Sobral (8-DCS) dcs@newsguy.com dcs@freebsd.org "FreeBSD is Yoda, Linux is Luke Skywalker." To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
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