/config != configuration files directory [LWN.net]

/config != configuration files directory

Posted Aug 25, 2005 15:58 UTC (Thu) by LogicG8 (guest, #11076)
Parent article: Configfs - an introduction

I don't look forward to having to explain this one. It's hard
enough trying to explain /etc without there being a /config to really
confuse matters. With the somewhat overwhelming proliferation of virtual
file systems exported by the kernel can't we find a nicer place to put
them all? Also doesn't the FHS forbid adding new directories to /. IIRC
there was a similar problem with debugfs. How about expanding the role
of /sys to include hosting all the miscellaneous filesystems. sysfs could
have a directory fs which would have /sys/fs/debug /sys/fs/config
/sys/fs/proc (there would have to be a /proc symlink for compatibility)
/sys/fs/relayfs and so on. Maybe /virtual could work. It has been said
that "The Unix Way: Everything is a file. The Linux Way: Everything is a
filesystem." If this is true, shouldn't we adopt a system for the central
metaphor of our OS is extended?

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/config != configuration files directory

Posted Sep 21, 2006 10:59 UTC (Thu) by astrand (guest, #4908) [Link]

I fully agree. There are too many magic toplevel directories already. The root should be clean and small, so that the users are not lost when going from /home/user to /media/cdrom via the root. With the current amount of magic toplevel directories, it's no wonder why KDE and GNOME are implementing "magic" "My Computer" style file managers which have their own roots. It's a sad story.