[KLUG Advocacy] Linux turning into Windows?

[Friedrich Lobenstock]

Adam Tauno Williams wrote on 08.03.2004 21:40 MET:
>>I can't decide if this is a good idea or a bad one.  They make a good
>>case for converting all program configs into a registry, but the Windows
>>registry left such a bad taste in my mouth, I don't know if I can
>>stomach such a change.  Thoughts?
> 
> 
> Don't judge a concept based upon a specific implementation.
> 
> GNOME uses GConf, which is a registry.  So far GConf has been wonderful to me, 
> MUCH better then tweaking myriad text files under .gnome, etc...  
> 
> XML based registries are good because schema can FORBID conflicting or
> impossible schemas or scream and holler about missing required elements. 
> Whereas many current <cough>SASL</cough> services just sort of silently go
> kerplop and leave you going "Huh?  Why doesn't the *@&$*(U@*()&$%@ thing work!"
> 
> LDAP is a registry,  it can do wonders for managing configuration.  Upcoming
> versions can enforce referential integrity and do triggering so something like
> deleting a user automatically deletes them from all groups, mail aliases, etc...
> so you can quitely grow consistency problems (which are a wonderful way to
> create security holes).
> 
> I AM ALL FOR THE "REGISTRY" IDEA!  TEXT FILES SUCK!  They don't suck as much as
> BINARY files (The Windows registry), but being not-ugly != being beautiful.
> 
> I think building a special key/value system for making a global registry is just
> dumb.  LDAP & SLP with optional Kerberos are well established and tested.  But
> this gee-i-think-ill-reinvent-the-wheel bent of Open Source seems unfatigable; 
> they'll waste some man-weeks, give up, and accomplish consuming some sourceforge
> disk space - much like the myriad Open Source groupware projects that reached
> version 0.9.9 and fall over.

Would you really run LDAP on so one to hold the system configuration like 
IP-address of the network interface and other essential parameters ? Just 
woundering.

> "Configurations then are no more represented by 'configuration files', but by
> key-value pairs organized in a structured tree commited to some naming
> convetions." --- boy that reminds me of somethin.... LDAP!  This claims "Is NOT
> an alternative to network information systems like LDAP or NIS.".... Uhm.... Ok.
>    Ford and Toyota both make cars.  But Toyota's Prias is not an alternative to
> a Ford Taurus.  I mean, sure they are both cars, and both go from point A to
> point B on those things called roads.  Yea, they both have four tires and
> require a driver.  Ok, yep, they both have head lights..... 
> 
> They'll discover that knowing nothing about content and offering 'simplicity'
> will make this basically useless because of all those wierd edge conditions the
> universe like to create.  This is Apple's NetInfo or OpenLDAP 1.x.x - both of
> which the world has abandoned (or is in the process of abandoning) because of
> all the problems they couldn't solve.  This has been hashed out ad infinitum in
> various directory services forums.


So what do you think where should the way lead for system configuration? 
Something like Gconf (if that is file based at all), as network services 
are not up yet when we need the data to configure the network, ....or 
somewhere else?


>>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>http://freshmeat.net/projects/registry/?branch_id=48188&release_id=153479
>>http://registry.sourceforge.net/
>>http://registry.sourceforge.net/spec/html/registry.html
>>The Linux Registry 0.0.9 (Default)
>>About:
>>The Linux Registry is an alternative back-end for text configuration
>>files.  Instead of each program having its own text configuration files,
>>the Registry tries to provide a universal and secure framework for 
>>configuration parameters in a hierarchical key-value pair mechanism.
>>This way, any program can read and save its configuration using a
>>consistent API and can be aware of other applications configurations,
>>permitting easy application integration.


BTW Bruce your subject was negative from the beginning, so I guess the 
outcome of this thread might not be objective in the end.

-- 
MfG / Regards
Friedrich Lobenstock