From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Mar 30 18:16:03 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6BCBF1065672; Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:16:03 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu) Received: from troutmask.apl.washington.edu (troutmask.apl.washington.edu [128.95.76.21]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 24B958FC0C; Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:16:03 +0000 (UTC) Received: from troutmask.apl.washington.edu (localhost.apl.washington.edu [127.0.0.1]) by troutmask.apl.washington.edu (8.14.5/8.14.5) with ESMTP id q2UIFuoK078562; Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:15:56 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from sgk@troutmask.apl.washington.edu) Received: (from sgk@localhost) by troutmask.apl.washington.edu (8.14.5/8.14.5/Submit) id q2UIFtIK078561; Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:15:55 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from sgk) Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:15:55 -0700 From: Steve Kargl To: Chris Rees Message-ID: <20120330181555.GA78451@troutmask.apl.washington.edu> References: <4F746F1E.6090702@mail.zedat.fu-berlin.de> <4F74BCE8.2030802@vangyzen.net> <20120330.151848.41706133.sthaug@nethelp.no> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.3i Cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org, "C. P. Ghost" , sthaug@nethelp.no Subject: Re: Using TMPFS for /tmp and /var/run? X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:16:03 -0000 On Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 05:56:06PM +0000, Chris Rees wrote: > On 30 March 2012 17:31, C. P. Ghost wrote: > > On Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 3:18 PM,   wrote: > >>> > However, if you always want to use tmpfs instead of stable storage, > >>> please do not.  Some people expect /tmp to be persistent.  This is why > >>> /etc/defaults/rc.conf has clear_tmp_enable="NO".  Changing this would break > >>> the POLA. > >>> > > >>> This is a mistake. > >>> > >>> The default should be clear_tmp_enable="YES" > >>> if only to uncover those broken configurations that expect /tmp to be > >>> persistent. > >> > >> If you want to break POLA and make a lot of people angry, sure. > >> Otherwise no. > > > > I couldn't agree more. Not clearing /tmp on reboot has been > > the norm for way too long and it is too late to change now. > > It's not just POLA, it also involves deleting data of unaware > > users, and that should be avoided. > > > > Anyone willing to change policy w.r.t. /tmp can do so on their > > own machines. Nothing is preventing them from doing so. > > But by changing defaults, one should err on the side of > > caution and remain conservative, IMHO. Well stated. > > >From man hier: > > /tmp/ temporary files that are not guaranteed to persist across > system reboots There is also a difference between "not guaranteed to persist" and knowingly blowing the files away by explictly clearing /tmp. PS: How many users of FreeBSD know that hier(7) exists? How many new users even know about man pages? -- Steve