Programs like cpanel do this by basically giving you a K.I.S.S. interface that wraps around a mysql/mariadb database, then there are a series of processes that run which query that database and generate ugly configuration files that only a mother could love which the services actually use.
It's like "drive by wire" in cars today or more accurately collision detection. Collision detection is great when the driver is a irresponsible idiot with the mental acuity of a child. It's terrible when the driver is a good responsible driver because it just trains a good habit - looking ahead - out of the good driver. Now you can spend all the time texting on your phone while driving and if your headed to rear ending someone the car brakes for you. The cpanel system works great until there's an Apache zero day and now it's an emergency and you must drop in a new apache binary that you compiled up that afternoon. Will the new binary read the ugly config files or not? Only the Shadow knows. And it might be months before the developers of cpanel or whatever GUI get around to updating their K.I.S.S. gui with any new or deprecated options the new binary might use. Of course the other reason to do this is to get the customer to forget how to edit the actual config files and learn the cpanel or whatever GUI so now they cannot leave without a painful re-learning procedure. I do it the old school way Ted -----Original Message----- From: PLUG <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Keith Lofstrom Sent: Friday, August 7, 2026 10:27 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [PLUG] The future of /etc file config vs. gui control panels When I asked, my rimuhosting hosting provider (in New Zealand) offered to update my debian-based virtual server and websites hosted there for a few $K. Excellent; in Portland a good sysadmin costs $K per day. Then they started talking about the "virtualmin" GUI interface to control those apps (apache, moinmoin, sendmail, openvpn, etc.), as opposed to commented /etc/ config files updated with vi (and old versions of files saved with rev numbers), which I've used since SVR4 roamed the Earth. How many here control their servers with "invisible" config files generated by GUI interfaces? Without commented text files, how do you *verify* WYSIWYG? How many prefer editing configuration files (mostly in /etc), paying attention to file permissions, adding explanatory comments, and backing up their prior config files since forever, as I've done for decades? Keith L. PS: I have been a sloppy touch typist for more than 60 years, when an insolvent client of my father taught me typewriter typing in her classes to pay down part of her debt. Weak small kid, mechanical typewriters, the phrase "touch typing" wasn't accurate. These days, I'm OK with a mouse, but not a touch screen. My most frequently used key is backspace, used about 60 times while writing this paragraph. GUIs are difficult, screen phones impossible. Are text-heads like me doomed? -- Keith Lofstrom [email protected]
