I'd like to lobby for reverting configuration of the qmail servers back to the bare run files rather than the recent collection of bash scripts. Reading a bunch of files in /var/qmail/control containing configuration variables obscures the relatively clear relationship between logging, softlimit, tcpserver, the checkpassword program, the actual server program, etc. found in a vanilla run file. A typical run file, including nice comments, is about 20 lines long. The parameterized run file may only be 10 lines, but it reads 125 lines across (at least) three files. It also introduces needless dependencies and constraints. Values in conf-common can affect all servers, or perhaps just some if the values have been overridden in the server-specific conf- files. So, whenever you make a change, you pretty much have to look at all the conf- files. Furthermore one parameter can now be defined and/or overriden in multiple places; again you have to trace through all the files (vertically) to see what the ultimate setting will be. Finally, it makes running multiple instances of particular servers awkward. One has to change the service name in the new run file and then make new a new copy of the conf-<server> file with appropriate changes (e.g. to ip addresses and port numbers). Some things that should be parameterized aren't (The tcpserver program, for example. A viable SSL solution is to use sslserver from uscspi-ssl in tcpserver's place and compile qmail -ssl). I gather from Robin Johnson that one goal of the new configuration was to move qmail-supervise out of CONFIG_PROTECT in order to make upgrades easier. I don't see how spreading configuration info across four files instead of one is easier. Also it seems to violate the general gentoo principle of providing a minimal working configuration as close to the standard (for that particular package). Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: n/a Actual Results: n/a Expected Results: n/a
Sorry, but this is more a complain than an actual bug. Cheers, Ferdy
Hey, I was asked by the maintainer (robbat2) to put this into bugzilla.
Ok. You should assign it to him, not net-mail. Regards, Ferdy
ferdy: I'm not the only Qmail person, I do have several others in net-mail helping me.
I agree that the new system can be very confusing. Especially, if there are configuration errors. It's not that easy to debug anymore, like when there's only one command in the run file. However, on the other side, the new system is also comfortable. You don't have to look where to insert a command (for example fixcrio) and add it manually, because one can only uncomment the code in the conf-* file. Something like a way trough the middle would be nice. Maybe we can move the stuff from the conf-* file(s) into the run file and have those variables there.
netqmail is replacing qmail, so the overkill will go away.
