Elektrified X.org released [LWN.net]

Elektrified X.org released

Posted Nov 30, 2004 19:10 UTC (Tue) by busterb (subscriber, #560)
In reply to: Elektrified X.org released by khim
Parent article: Elektrified X.org released

To expand on this, the best backend is one that supports tracking revisions and rollbacks. Perhaps a CVS/Subversion backend, since they both can store data in relatively plain files? We already use Subversion for tracking changes to /etc, so this would be a natural extension.

(Log in to post comments)

Elektrified X.org released

Posted Nov 30, 2004 20:29 UTC (Tue) by tzafrir (subscriber, #11501) [Link]

You can easily maintain everything using version control (you'd probably want something that supports renames).

All you need is to make sure that there is always an up-to-date copy of the configuration file in the right place.

Elektrified X.org released

Posted Nov 30, 2004 21:12 UTC (Tue) by LogicG8 (guest, #11076) [Link]

> the best backend is one that supports tracking revisions and rollbacks.

I really have to disagree. Revision control systems are complicated
complications suck. Remember that /usr might not be mounted yet.

$ ldd /usr/bin/svn | wc -l
29

And that doesn't even count the dependencies of svn's dependencies... I
would like to be able to use this system for all the configuration files
in the system from init on up. If you want revision control this can be had
without introducing complications to booting and overhead embedded systems
won't put up with. The trick is to make the configuration directory a
working directory of subversion repository. Edit a file; commit changes; be
done with it. No need to have a revision control system to boot. This even
makes it easy to store the revision history on a another computer.

My reasons for actually liking this system:

1) Ability to hand edit config files. If I'm working over ssh (and I do
quite a bit) I want to be able change configurations.

2) Independence of data. If you've ever had a chunk of the registry
corrupted on Windows(tm) you understand the importance of this.

3) I can easily copy/save specific configuration data. With database
systems this tends to be awkward.

4) I can have comments.

5) This can be combined with MACs (mandatory access controls) or ACLs
(access control lists) for free.

6) This one is only speculation on my part but corruption can only happen
with misbehaving programs. If a program respects flock() two programs won't
step on each other. This can be a "if you don't know what you are doing
thing don't do it." Most users will only use a GUI or kdb so this probably
won't even come up. Even if corruption occurs (power outage, brain damaged
program, PIBCAK, whatever) see reason 2.

7) No new paradigms to learn. I know how get around in a filesystem.
I can use find.

8) Easy program interaction. I'll be thrown out of the *nix geek club for
sure for saying this but I *like* GUI configuration programs. I like things
to be easy.

9) More shared code. One less thing to worry about.

Elektrified X.org released

Posted Dec 1, 2004 0:30 UTC (Wed) by emkey (guest, #144) [Link]

>"8) Easy program interaction. I'll be thrown out of the *nix geek club for
sure for saying this but I *like* GUI configuration programs. I like things
to be easy."

As do most of us. The problem being GUI's don't for the most part scale worth a dang. In general GUI's are fine, but they should always be considered secondary to some sort of CLI interface. The problem is many vendors get it backwards, or worse yet don't implament any sort of CLI.