Server Distributions

[Jonathan Hutchins]

On Thursday 18 November 2004 01:53 pm, Steven Hildreth wrote:

> I use Gentoo on all my servers (and several workstations) and once the
> Portage system (and its new /etc/portage configuration) is properly
> understood and put into place the management of the _cfg files is very
> logical and effecient.

I really have to disagree with you on this.  I run three gentoo servers, and 
having to sort through the files that etc-update presents has caused me 
endless headaches.

Many of the files etc-update handles are init scripts that would require a 
very advanced knowledge of the system to understand, let alone customize.  
These files should almost always be kept as distributed, and updated when the 
related packages are updated.  

Mixed in with these are essential configuration files that do _not_ change 
with package updates and which contain information essential to the local 
configuration, files which if replaced with the package updates will render 
the system useless.  These files should only be updated if there is a _major_ 
change in the configuration method for a package.  (/etc/fstab comes to mind 
as one that I've had trouble with.)

I think this is one of the biggest disadvantages with gentoo, as it can be 
easy to miss one of the files that must be updated with a package change, or 
accidentally overwrite a file that should not be changed.  In my experience, 
RPM based systems do a much better job of determining what files should be 
updated and what files should not.