Use a different Distro. My Gentoo box has less than 100 items in /etc. And really, they belong there (passwd, groups, other config files. etc, (pun intended)).
Having lots of files in a particular place doesn't necessarily make something disorganized. If 100000 files belong in /etc, then let them go there. The alternative is a nightmare for Microsoft, and frankly, I find to be far worse. The old ini files were far easier to work with, and much less likely to permanently destroy a (beginner's) machine than the registry. The idea of 1 central repository for all config information just blows. I wish there was more standardization among distros (and I'll include Solaris, *BSD, AIX, etc in that statement), but it won't happen any time soon. Don't try to sell me on LSB, everything I read about LSB leaves me with the impression that it's all talk and no action. LSB should lay down a complete outline that cannot be broken. IE. Temp files all go in /tmp Config files all go into a subdirectory for the application, under /etc (/etc/samba/smb.conf, for example) All binary applications go into /bin All scripts go into /blah blah blah blah Kev. ----- Original Message ----- From: "b-r-i-a-n -" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2002 11:40 AM Subject: Re: (clug-talk) Should the unix fs be hidden from desktop users? > Honestly, I'm surprised if you don't think the file system is cluttered. > Have you taken a look in /etc or /usr/bin lately? > > As far as the other questions go, I wasn't talking JUST about the file > system; I was talking about the development process and open source projects > as a whole. > > The file system is just one aspect of the evolution of Linux. I was just > indicating that I personally thought that was one area that could be worked > on. I was also trying to explain that I felt that before "hiding" the file > system it should be cleaned up. > > The file system is anything but perfect in its current state. I'm not > suggesting throwing everything in the root of /. I don't think anyone > suggested that. Frankly though I know your looking for an argument for the > sake of an argument if you're going to sit there and tell me that the file > system couldn't or doesn't need to be cleaned up, or "de-cluttered" as I put > it before. Don't be silly, I'm not suggesting anything overly radical, but > the file system really does need work. > > As far as how it would be decluttered... Well for starters config files > under /etc should follow a more standard format and be combined where > possible for like services. I shouldn't have to go under /etc/X11, for > example, and find a million config files just to make one little change to > XWindows. I get annoyed having to sit there waiting for grep to look > through every single file, just to find the file you need to edit. At least > if like services used a single config file you would know for sure what > settings are in what file. Often between distributions they create their > own special config files to do various things. I see this as adding to > clutter and confusion. With a standard file for like services, > distributions (i hope) would be more inclined to use these files rather than > invent their own config files. This, in my mind, would be a major step > toward de-cluttering the Linux file system. > > Here is a day-to-day benifit. I have to sit there for close to a half an > hour on an older machine waiting for a bloody directory listing to > finnish(try doing this in /usr/bin). I think it is very evident that > something is wrong with the file system when that is the case. The day that > isn't the case, yes I would see that as a real day-to-day benifit. > > > >From: "Kevin Anderson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: Re: (clug-talk) Should the unix fs be hidden from desktop users? > >Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 09:54:42 -0700 > > > >I agree with him. > > > >We should make only a / mountpoint, and ever file should be located under > >it. Subdirectories should be disallowed. That's about as clutter free as > >possible. > > > >:) > > > >-1 Troll, I know... Sorry, Couldn't resist. > > > >Kev. > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Aaron J. Seigo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2002 8:51 AM > >Subject: Re: (clug-talk) Should the unix fs be hidden from desktop users? > > > > > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > > > On Tuesday 26 November 2002 06:33, b-r-i-a-n - wrote: > > > > I believe that the de-cluttering of the Linux file system is an > >important > > > > step. > > > > > > why? > > > > > > and ... > > > > > > how it would it be "decluttered"? > > > how would this affect backwards compat? > > > what would be the real day-to-day benefits? > > > what would be the real day-to-day detriments? > > > > > > - -- > > > Aaron J. Seigo > > > GPG Fingerprint: 8B8B 2209 0C6F 7C47 B1EA EE75 D6B7 2EB1 A7F1 DB43 > > > > > > "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler" > > > - Albert Einstein > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) > > > > > > iD8DBQE95On21rcusafx20MRAkgVAKCDd2UwjZrUEufRLIvbk42slA4TYACfRkS/ > > > /oSp+c0RaeXW45cRqDoLVMA= > > > =iCMw > > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail > > >
