On Sun, 18 Jul 1999, Julian Gilbey wrote: > > On Sun, Jul 18, 1999 at 02:45:04AM +0100, Julian Gilbey wrote: > > > Do you know of any conffiles which are not configuration files? The > > > concept of a conffile which is not a configuration file is bizarre. > > > > /etc/init.d/* and /etc/cron.d/* are not really configuration files for > > the programs in the package. (They are configuration files for the system, > > so it's a bit confusing). They're definately conffiles, though, unless > > otherwise managed. > > >From policy 3.3.5 (about /etc/init.d files): > > _Do_, however, include the `/etc/init.d' scripts in conffiles. (This > is important since we want to give the local system administrator > the chance to adapt the scripts to the local system--e.g., to > disable a service without De-installing the package, or to specify > some special command line options when starting a service--while > making sure her changes aren't lost during the next package > upgrade.) > > So we do consider them configuration files, and they define the way in > which the package functions on the system. > > So I'm still looking for a reason not to say that every conffile is > considered a configuration file.
IMHO, scripts in /etc/init.d are a good counter-example. They are not proper "configuration files", they are scripts, i.e. they are proper programs! But we use the conffile mechanism on them to allow local modifications. A "configuration file" is usually "data" read by another program. If this "another program" is in fact a shell interpreter we usually do not think of it as "data" but instead we say it is a "program" and not a "configuration file". Thanks. -- "1ec66ab3a9e810b23d0432fec424fb10" (a truly random sig)
