What does /etc mean?

rjs735 · 03-03-2007, 01:44 PM

are we talking about etc-etcetera meaning "and so on" .

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shaihulud · 03-03-2007, 01:52 PM

I think he means as in the Linux context /etc. I wish I can say with know, but with Linux there is some that is a little incorrect until the one whom created such comes to enlighten those that do not know. I was obviously taught et cetera long ago. But as I said this can be wrong, and means something completely different. This is why I despise some teachers.

Ironic that a directory which may mean odds and ends does not comply in how Linux works with odds and ends everywhere. A file can be in so many locations or files are in a many a locations with no real root. Windows Is starting to get this way and it irritates me.

rjs735 · 03-03-2007, 02:05 PM

My thinking is maybe only Linus Torvald may know the answer to that question. This is what I found at Wiki Linux

Etc files - LQWiki

Also in my Que "using Linux 4th edition states that in the etc/directory will be contained many of the important and essential system configuration files. Some of these are script file which can be edited.

So choosing between essential text configuration or editable text configuration is kind of difficult. As a true definiton I would pick essential test configuration. Because if you remove them Linux will not install or run. Also if you edit them you change the nature of the system and if you make mistake Linux will not run properly.

3 of 7 · 03-03-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cactuar

Specifically the /etc folder in the Unix file hierarchy.

Oh Fer Petes' sake I thought you meant the other one

**k0NG0** · 03-04-2007, 04:44 AM

Endless Thrilling Conflict.

You have to hand it to open-source pundits. They do know how to start fights about nothing and drag them on forever. A bit like fanboys, only with more hubris.

*zapionics<alt>* · 03-04-2007, 07:31 AM

Oh man! How can there be any confusion about this?

/etc is just the directory where everything else goes that doesnt really belong in the other directories.

"etc" is as good a name as any and is contextually appropriate as well as being handily short, (always a good thing in unix path names).

Its sorta a bit like the "documents" directory in windows, great catch-bucket for all types of documents, but if you're going to be creating a lot of documents on the same subject then you would probably be better off creating a separate sub-directory to keep track of them.

If people are debating about the pros and cons of the design of the unix directory tree; well thats a waste of time as its basically a hierarchical database approach which we already know has severe limitations from a data base management point of view. Any hierarchy is just arbitrary. It was just setup the way they liked it at the time, simple as that.

*PeterT* · 03-04-2007, 08:06 AM

I voted: ET Cetera
But there's also: Estimated Time of Completion
It's a matter of context.

*zapionics<alt>* · 03-04-2007, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterT

I voted: ET Cetera
But there's also: Estimated Time of Completion
It's a matter of context.

We're talking about the "etc" directory in unix file system here...

i feel a rant coming on about ppl not reading threads before posting... but I'm resisting the urge...

jcarno · 03-04-2007, 08:39 AM

Maybe et cetera shouldn't be one of the choices and the fact that its a linux based question should be added to the first post. I read the first post and answered the question.

jcarno · 03-04-2007, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zapionics<alt>

We're talking about the "etc" directory in unix file system here...

i feel a rant coming on about ppl not reading threads before posting... but I'm resisting the urge...

Crap.........I just noticed this is in the Linux section!!!!!!.....My Bad!!!!!!

Disregard my comments.

*zapionics<alt>* · 03-04-2007, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcarno

...I read the first post and answered the question.

**k0NG0** · 03-04-2007, 10:28 AM

I poked a bit at the poll question to clarify. Cactuar, if you want it worded differently, just throw a PM at me and I'll rejig it again.

*PeterT* · 03-04-2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zapionics<alt>

We're talking about the "etc" directory in unix file system here...

i feel a rant coming on about ppl not reading threads before posting... but I'm resisting the urge...

Sorry, didn't notice what forum it was in

and just had a conversation the other day at work about the use of "etc", in general.
Please accept my apology for corrupting this thread and thanks for 'resisting the urge'.

Pasch · 04-05-2007, 10:53 AM

I'd go for either Essential Text Configuration or Etcetera, because it contains a lot of important config files but they seem to be pretty miscellaneous to me as well. I voted Eat The Children though, just because I liked that option the most.

View Poll Results: What does /etc mean? (NB: /etc in the *nix filesystems!)
ET Cetera	11	61.11%
Extended Tool Chest	0	0%
Editable Text Configuration	0	0%
Essential Text Configuration	1	5.56%
Etc Text Configuration	0	0%
Enormous Trove of Configuration files	1	5.56%
Eat The Children	4	22.22%
Other Or Nothing Please Specify	1	5.56%
Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll

03-03-2007, 01:44 PM	#1
rjs735 Virus? What I am not sick Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,965	are we talking about etc-etcetera meaning "and so on" . __________________ Giga ga-ep45-ud3p 2.8 E8400 4mb Ram WDC 500Gb XP pro Win7 32 Win7 64 Asus P4S8x 2.0 Ghz Celeron Ram 512MB WDC 80GB HD SATA WDC 80GB SATA Memorex DUAL DVD/RW Win98SE/XP pro Asus P2b-F Cel 450 Ram 256MB W98 SE Optorite CDRW WD 40GB Asrock P4combo P4 346 Xp Pro Sp 3 SATA HD SATA DVD/RW Foxconn 925EX 550 XP Media SP2 Sata HD Sata DVD/RW Foxconn 925EX 550 Xp SP2 Asrock 775Dual 550 Xp pro SP2 IBM T23 1.3hz RAM 512MB XP pro SP2 All systems are networked Konica Minolta Color Laser Samsung clp-315 Color laser Dlink 655 Dlink G650 Wireless Dlink DNS-323 1TB NAS
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03-03-2007, 01:52 PM	#2
shaihulud Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,270	I think he means as in the Linux context /etc. I wish I can say with know, but with Linux there is some that is a little incorrect until the one whom created such comes to enlighten those that do not know. I was obviously taught et cetera long ago. But as I said this can be wrong, and means something completely different. This is why I despise some teachers. Ironic that a directory which may mean odds and ends does not comply in how Linux works with odds and ends everywhere. A file can be in so many locations or files are in a many a locations with no real root. Windows Is starting to get this way and it irritates me.
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03-03-2007, 02:05 PM	#3
rjs735 Virus? What I am not sick Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,965	My thinking is maybe only Linus Torvald may know the answer to that question. This is what I found at Wiki Linux Etc files - LQWiki Also in my Que "using Linux 4th edition states that in the etc/directory will be contained many of the important and essential system configuration files. Some of these are script file which can be edited. So choosing between essential text configuration or editable text configuration is kind of difficult. As a true definiton I would pick essential test configuration. Because if you remove them Linux will not install or run. Also if you edit them you change the nature of the system and if you make mistake Linux will not run properly. __________________ Giga ga-ep45-ud3p 2.8 E8400 4mb Ram WDC 500Gb XP pro Win7 32 Win7 64 Asus P4S8x 2.0 Ghz Celeron Ram 512MB WDC 80GB HD SATA WDC 80GB SATA Memorex DUAL DVD/RW Win98SE/XP pro Asus P2b-F Cel 450 Ram 256MB W98 SE Optorite CDRW WD 40GB Asrock P4combo P4 346 Xp Pro Sp 3 SATA HD SATA DVD/RW Foxconn 925EX 550 XP Media SP2 Sata HD Sata DVD/RW Foxconn 925EX 550 Xp SP2 Asrock 775Dual 550 Xp pro SP2 IBM T23 1.3hz RAM 512MB XP pro SP2 All systems are networked Konica Minolta Color Laser Samsung clp-315 Color laser Dlink 655 Dlink G650 Wireless Dlink DNS-323 1TB NAS Last edited by rjs735; 03-03-2007 at 02:25 PM.. Reason: More info
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03-04-2007, 04:44 AM	#5
k0NG0 Remembering TQ Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sweden Posts: 13,749	Endless Thrilling Conflict. You have to hand it to open-source pundits. They do know how to start fights about nothing and drag them on forever. A bit like fanboys, only with more hubris. __________________ Use Firefox - "the one that blocks all the schmutz" Feeling multicore elation? Remember this correlation: Amdahl's Law.
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03-04-2007, 07:31 AM	#6
zapionics<alt> <unknown level> Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: AUSTRALIA Posts: 3,886	Oh man! How can there be any confusion about this? /etc is just the directory where everything else goes that doesnt really belong in the other directories. "etc" is as good a name as any and is contextually appropriate as well as being handily short, (always a good thing in unix path names). Its sorta a bit like the "documents" directory in windows, great catch-bucket for all types of documents, but if you're going to be creating a lot of documents on the same subject then you would probably be better off creating a separate sub-directory to keep track of them. If people are debating about the pros and cons of the design of the unix directory tree; well thats a waste of time as its basically a hierarchical database approach which we already know has severe limitations from a data base management point of view. Any hierarchy is just arbitrary. It was just setup the way they liked it at the time, simple as that. __________________ * Please note: any advertising within this post has been placed there by the site owner and NOT by me! * "To Boldly Go..."
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03-04-2007, 08:06 AM	#7
PeterT CUSL2...GA-EP45-UD3P...? Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Sunny Florida, USA Posts: 2,932	I voted: ET Cetera But there's also: Estimated Time of Completion It's a matter of context. __________________ Proud Member: Team-CUSL2 - 'The Old School Crew' Asus Eee PC 1000HE, 1x2GB Corsair DDR2 667 GA-EP45-UD3P, Q9550, 4x2GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800, EVGA 9800GTX+ 512MB GA-EP45-DS3L, E7200, 4x2GB Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800, Asus EAH4850 TOP 512MB GA-EP45-UD3P, E6600, 4x1GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2 1066, EVGA 8800GTS 512MB P5B-D in a box at the moment P4P800-D, P4 2.4C, 4x512MB Mushkin DDR 400, ATI AIW X800XT 256MB TUSL2C, P3-S 1.4, 2x256MB Corsair XMS150, ATI 9800PRO 128MB, TB Santa Cruz CUSL2, P3 1.0, 1x256MB & 2x128MB Corsair PC133, Asus V7700D 32MB, SB Live! * Please join ABXZone and participate *
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03-04-2007, 08:39 AM	#9
jcarno Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: upstate N.Y. Posts: 751	Maybe et cetera shouldn't be one of the choices and the fact that its a linux based question should be added to the first post. I read the first post and answered the question. __________________ DFI NF4 SLI-D/X2 4400/2x1024 G-Skill PC4000 /2xBFG 7800GT/1 Maxtor 200g Sata150/1 Maxtor 160g Sata/
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03-04-2007, 10:28 AM	#12
k0NG0 Remembering TQ Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Sweden Posts: 13,749	I poked a bit at the poll question to clarify. Cactuar, if you want it worded differently, just throw a PM at me and I'll rejig it again. __________________ Use Firefox - "the one that blocks all the schmutz" Feeling multicore elation? Remember this correlation: Amdahl's Law.
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04-05-2007, 10:53 AM	#14
Pasch Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 427	I'd go for either Essential Text Configuration or Etcetera, because it contains a lot of important config files but they seem to be pretty miscellaneous to me as well. I voted Eat The Children though, just because I liked that option the most.
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