LinuxPapers.org: About Configuration Files | Linux Today

LinuxPapers.org: About Configuration Files

Written By
Web Webster
Web Webster
Jul 9, 2000

[ Thanks to newsmaster for this link.
]

Linux – and Unix in general – have always been known for
their countless configuration files. But really, there’s nothing to
be afraid of. In this paper we will show what configuration files
actually are, how to change them and how to manage them.

“Linux is famous for being “hard to configure.” This sentence is
definitely inaccurate. In fact, the word “Linux” refers exclusively
to the kernel, i.e. that piece of software which is launched before
any other program, and provides basic support (at a functional
level) to every program launched thereafter. So it is more precise
to say “Linux programs are hard to configure.” But even this, in
the end, proves to be a myth: if you know where to look, and if you
are familiar with the configuration philosophy of Linux programs,
you can find out how a Linux (and, more generally, Unix) program is
extremely simple, even if there is no standard “configuration file
format.”

Complete
Story

Web Webster

Web Webster

Web Webster has more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience in the tech sector. He’s written and edited news, demand generation, user-focused, and thought leadership content for business software solutions, consumer tech, and Linux Today, he edits and writes for a portfolio of tech industry news and analysis websites including webopedia.com, and DatabaseJournal.com.

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