On 08/09/2012 12:55 PM, Anton Aylward wrote:
j debert said the following on 08/09/2012 03:32 PM:
Startup depends on /usr being there.
That was a design decision not a necessity.
Whatever it was, it is now a de facto necessity.
There is no reason the systemd stuff in /usr/ *HAS* to be there. Historically, /boot didn't exist.
Someday perhaps /boot can go away too.
Historically many of the config files that are now in /etc weren't.
/etc originally didn't have system config files. It was where miscellaneous binaries and data lived. System configs were more likely to be found in /, /lib, and /var. Those few that weren't hard coded, that is. It didn't take long for config files to start popping up everywhere and anywhere so the decision -- design decision -- was made to drop all the system config files in /etc, move all misc binaries and data to /usr, /var, and /opt.
There is no reason other than design decision to make stuff needed by the startup (or shutdown for that matter) in /usr.
Of course there's no reason. But it happened. Fait accompli.
/usr can no longer be a separate partition by dint of ignorance or whatever supposedly reasonable motive moved people to disregard policy. To change it back would be too much effort that few are willing to undertake and fewer still are willing to agree with.
True, but we've done great changes to the hierarchy in the past.
Do you recall how much fighting there was over it?
The best that can be done now is to ensure that no one starts putting system critical files in /home, /tmp, /media, or other new and weird places.
To a generation that grew up with all the config files in /etc having some in /usr is /weird/.
/usr/etc: Where non-system configs can have a home. Unfortunately many developers disagree and prefer /lib/application/.config or some windows registry or something equally weird. Personally, I'd rather they were all in one place and not have to go on safari to find them. jd -- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org