RE: [Thinstation-general] The structure of ts.conf.buildtime

[Mike E. <km...@ma...>]

This suggestion would certainly make me happy. One ts.conf. Period!

We'll still need to do some explanation about it being useful multiple 
times during startup, but that's how it is.

Mike

On Wed, 21 Jul 2004, Matthew E. Bernold wrote:

> Mike,
> 
> Coming from someone who is using ThinStation for a local boot, I saw the
> benefit in having a local file to make configuration changes.  I also see
> the need to have as few local defaults as possible for those stations that
> will be booting with remote configuration files, so there are no leftover
> defaults hanging around that take effect when you comment out a line you
> don't need in a  config file loaded from the network.
> 
> On the other hand, I also see your point about making things less confusing
> rather than more confusing.  Certainly, adding yet another conf file would
> obfuscate things even more than they already are.
> 
> >From my perspective, all of this can be accomplished with a unified config
> file that defaults to having all but the 9 unique build.conf lines commented
> out just as easily as it can by adding the new conf file I suggested a few
> days ago.  In this way, we can minimize the "pollution" from too many
> defaults on the local boot media, and still keep the unified structure
> you're proposing.
> 
> So, I guess I'm saying that I agree with your solution, provided that the
> number of uncommented lines on the default unified ts.conf.buildtime are
> minimized.  Much the same functionality I am looking for, and even decreases
> the confusion/complexity rather than increasing it.
> 
> Matthew E. Bernold
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Eriksen [mailto:km...@ma...]
> Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 4:19 PM
> To: Matthew E. Bernold
> Cc: thi...@li...
> Subject: RE: [Thinstation-general] The structure of ts.conf.buildtime
> 
> 
> Thanks for your input Matthew.
> 
> I'm not comletely sure I agree with your points. Well, actually I don't 
> :-)
> 
> I believe that yet another ts.conf is not the right way to go. These are 
> plenty already and it is terrible confusing as it is. And all these 
> ts.confs are in the core completely structural identical except for nine 
> lines unique to ts.conf.buildtime (setting ip, mask, dns...).
> 
> I would rather have just a complete "buildtime" with introductionary 
> comments as the one I've attached here. The nine unique line for 
> "buildtime" are at the very end and clearly marked as unique.
> 
> I believe it makes things much clearer that "there is ONE ts.conf you can 
> apply multiple times". But this requires a unified ts.conf.
> 
> Still, thanks for you constructive input.
> 
> Mike 
> 
> On Fri, 16 Jul 2004, Matthew E. Bernold wrote:
> 
> > As an addition to my previous E-Mail, I can see why Miles might want to
> keep
> > the ts.conf.buildtime as clean as possible.  It is tempting to put too
> much
> > information in a locally built file, and rather difficult to change it
> once
> > you do.  If the ts.conf.buildtime were a full conf file, more people would
> > be tempted just to use it without exploring the more manageable options.
> I
> > think that both sides are valid, which is why I suggested the compromise
> of
> > adding another .conf file loaded locally between the ts.conf.buildtime and
> > the ts.conf.network.  This allows for a very clean ts.conf.buildtime for
> > those people who don't need local options, and a more detailed
> > ts.conf.localboot for those people who find they need it.
> > 
> > I think, btw, that by default, TS should come with a ts.conf.localboot
> that
> > is just comments so there aren't a whole bunch of undesired defaults
> running
> > around out there.  Maybe something like this:
> > 
> > # This file, thinstation.conf.localboot, is used to set defaults for a
> > # ThinStation that boots from local storage, so it can function without a
> > # TFTP server.  If you find you need this option, just copy the
> > # thinstation.conf.example file over this one, and then set your options.
> > 
> > Matthew E. Bernold
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mike Eriksen [mailto:km...@ma...]
> > Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 6:39 PM
> > To: thi...@li...
> > Subject: [Thinstation-general] The structure of ts.conf.buildtime
> > 
> > 
> > Miles and I recently had a private e-mail exchange on something else, that
> 
> > ended up being an discussion on the structure of 
> > thinstation.conf.buildtime ("buildtime"). We've decided to start it again 
> > here publically to get your opinion.
> > 
> > Miles obviously wants buildtime to be as it is (otherwise he'd changed it
> > already :-)
> > 
> > I want to change buildtime to be as ts.conf.example. e.g. with the 
> > complete setup, which is perfectly possible as things are now. No code has
> > to be changed.
> > 
> > My arguments are:
> > 
> > For boot from local devices you really need a complete buildtime, not just
> 
> > the cut down version with network settings only. OK, if you boot from a RW
> 
> > device, you may get around the problem by using a ts.conf.user, but for a 
> > CD there is no way you can avoid putting everything in buildtime as it is 
> > RO. Even with loadlin on a RW device a ts.conf.user is impossible due to 
> > the DOS 8.3 file name convention (and I guess the same goes for syslinux,
> > but I never tried).
> > 
> > Also it makes a lot of sense to me to build any image with useful 
> > defaults, so things can fail gracefully.
> >  
> > Since all the ts.conf(.buildtime, .network, .user, .group-<name>, -<name>,
> 
> > -<ip>, -<mac>) really are identical in structure, I think that having an 
> > apparently different buildtime file is confusing.
> > 
> > Comments?
> > 
> > Mike
> > 
> 
> 

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