new sysinstall

[Robert Garrett]

Tobias Weingartner wrote:

> In article <pan.2003.08.25.16.07.00.273553 at xxxxxxxx>, Hiten Pandya wrote:
>> 
>> This is a really good idea.  By powering the configuration with
>> the use of XML, it would be way easier to generate dependancy
>> graphs, and easily determine breakage in package hierarchies.
> 
> Please don't make this mistake.
> 
>> With the power of XML, it will make it easier to fish out
>> description data from the package XML configuration files,
>> and then use it for automated catalog'ing; thus giving us
>> the Extra Edge (tm) ;-)
> 
> Please don't make this mistake.
> 
> XML is not the solution to all configuration languages.  Grep and
> friends are a powerfull tool (as are diff and patch) to manage line
> oriented information.  These tools are readily available, and could
> be very usefull to look/manage/change/compare configurations between
> machines.
> 
> XML only obscures things in this instance.
> 
actually nothing would stop you from using these tools, The real problem
with sysinstall is it is fixed in nature. The design that i'm proposing
is completely modular. As far as looking at and comparing configurations
this will actually be very simple. 
    My proposed use of xml is for an interface between the modules, used
to build the configuration system and the user interface. It is ONLY for
requesting and recieving user input.

i.e. the module that does the work may very well use grep or may simply
echo somthing to etc/rc.conf. 

YOU shouldn't have to REWRITE sysinstall to add somthing to it. The only
time you should have to touch the proposed user interface is to make it
understand a different kind of input request.

by replaying the xml, you are simply replaying the request for input, and
answer given by the user.

Hopefully this makes more sense than what you where thinking..

Rob