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To: Terry Lambert <terry@lambert.org>
cc: hackers@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: on the subject of changes to -RELEASEs... 
In-reply-to: <199704121847.LAA15473@phaeton.artisoft.com> 
Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 08:30:58 +1000
From: Giles Lean <giles@nemeton.com.au>
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On Sat, 12 Apr 1997 11:47:10 -0700 (MST)  Terry Lambert wrote:

> > Some configuration files just have to be grandfathered, most
> > especially those that are often controlled or supplied by a network
> > administrator.

> That would be those BSD network administrators, considering that
> BSD has a number of differences from all other systems in that area
> anyway?

As a minor clarification, I'm more concerned about formats than
file locations.  Some of these files have already moved on non-BSD
systems.  Neither am I arguing that file formats should never
change.

A quick scan suggests that "Unix" (and not just BSD) administrators
will be familiar with some/most/all of the following, and that
therefore we should be cautious making changes that effect these:

        aliases         sendmail; 3rd party
        fstab           Solaris changed this one already :-(
        ftpusers
        group
        hosts
        hosts.equiv
        hosts.lpd
        inetd.conf
        namedb          bind; 3rd party
        networks        (not supported correctly on Solaris)
        passwd          broken on 4.4BSD :-(
        protocols
        resolv.conf     bind; 3rd party
        rpc
        sendmail.cf     sendmail; 3rd party
        services
        shells
        syslog.conf

These ones are probably BSD specific.  Certainly I don't care if they
change. :-)

        printcap        
        termcap
        ttys

Regards,

Giles