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From: Joe Greco <jgreco@brasil.moneng.mei.com>
Message-Id: <199604121406.JAA17408@brasil.moneng.mei.com>
Subject: Re: feedback sought on proposed change to netstart
To: pst@freefall.freebsd.org (Paul Traina)
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 09:06:44 -0500 (CDT)
Cc: current@freefall.freebsd.org
In-Reply-To: <199604120527.WAA23125@freefall.freebsd.org> from "Paul Traina" at Apr 11, 96 10:27:19 pm
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> Currently /etc/netstart evaluates /etc/start_if.<foo> if the file exists,
> and THEN does any standard ifconfig commands if defined.
> 
> This seems very backwards and broken to me.  Here's my justification:
> Basic stuff can be done by executing the commands in sysconfig, just like
> we always do.  /etc/start_if.<foo> is for additional stuff or exceptions,
> such as configuring aliases.
> 
> It makes sense to set up the interface, first, and then get fancy with it.
> 
> Here's the change, 24 hours to comment:

Actually, my favorite change to netstart is to rearrange 

if [ -x /etc/start_if.xxx ]; then
	sh /etc/start_if.xxx
fi
ifconfig xxx yyy zzz

to

if [ -x /etc/start_if.xxx ]; then
	sh /etc/start_if.xxx
else
	ifconfig xxx yyy zzz
fi

I always assume that I know why the hell I want to set up an interface with
a particular set of ifconfig's.  I had had some minor problems with
brokenness and alias setup under 2.{0,0.5?} that caused me to have to do
this.

However, the paradigm seems more intuitive.  "If I give you a set of
commands to use to set up this interface, USE THEM".

My assumption, of course, is that the "start_if.xxx" file isn't a file that
allows you to "get fancy with" the interface, it's a file that lists the
commands necessary to START the interface, hence the name.

Just one lunatic's opinion,

... Joe

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joe Greco - Systems Administrator			      jgreco@ns.sol.net
Solaria Public Access UNIX - Milwaukee, WI			   414/546-7968