Server Distributions

[Steven Hildreth]

As I stated, if you configure and use Portage properly you won't have
these issues;
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=3&chap=1

or;
'man 5 portage'

The part in particular is to use portage CONFIG_PROTECT and CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK

Again I understand it and my updates are very fluid, simple and
painless. Just because you don't either 1) Like it or 2) Understand it
doesn't mean its worthless. The level (and quality) of results
returned by something is near linear to the level (and quality) to the
input put into it. If used properly Portage is very powerful and works
very well.

Regards,
Steven



On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 14:14:55 -0600, Jonathan Hutchins
<hutchins at tarcanfel.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 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.
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