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[ /root]# rpm -qa | grep linuxconf
linuxconf-1.24r2-10
linuxconf-devel-1.24r2-10
gnome-linuxconf-0.64-1

> 
> I have 1.25r7.  I pick Updates->Log Window and it lists files modified as
> it updates them.

OK, it is telling me that it is archiving ip_allow, but it is not showing any
changes or stating that it is inserting a new one.

One more thing learned.

> 
> >Now the strace option.  I ran linuxconf (gui) like so
> >strace linuxconf > file 2>&1
> >then I assumed the file that would be edited would be a sub somewhere of etc and
> >that a system call of write would be performed.
> >cat file | grep write | less
> >then search (using / search command in less) the file for etc and low and behold
> >I could have found the answer this way.  /etc/mail/ip_allow was indeed edited.
> >Looking at a M$ administrator coming into this environment I can understand
> >their frustration from a personal experience as well as a philosophical stand
> >point.  Lets look at what needed to be easy (interpret known).
> 
> I could counter with the point that you can't run NT/Exchange without a
> GUI.  And how about ANY command line administration over a low-speed
> connection? But that is really ducking the issue, and not answering the
> challenge.

I'm on your side completely.

> 
> The strace method is indeed "too hard".

I don't think it is too hard at all.  Just requires a background knowledge that
a switching admin most likely does not posess.

> 
> >1 What strace is.
> >2 How to use the bash shell to redirect the output both standard and error to a
> >file.
> 
> Isn't this the same as in the Windows shell?

Who uses the windows shell like they use the bash shell?  Not me.  I read most
of Mark Minisi's NT 4 book.  At the end of it he says you should learn how to do
everything from the command prompt as well as from a gui.  Yet he only uses one
paragraph of the whole book  to say this.  This implies to me the command line
is little used by most NT admins. 

> 
> >3 That the file edited would be a sub of etc (an assumption, SWAG if you will)
> 
> Knowledge of the FSSTD, this counts as at least one.  One also need to
> know how to restart sendmail,  which included knowledge of init scripts.
> 
> >4 cat and less and grep (do I count this as three things)
> 
> Yes that is three things (at least).
> 
> >5 how to search for the string "etc" in vi or less
> 
> Other editors are much more user friendly.
> 
> >That's alot from point and click to this I'd say.  I'm not complaining.  I can
> >appreciate the elegance of this kind of method.  The use of multiple tools to
> >chisel away at a problem has a very strong appeal.  It's still a mile away from
> >point and click.  At least the problem was solveable without rebooting or
> >reinstalling.
> 
> It is hard to have point-n-click without a GUI.  One might install iXvnc
> and use Tridia VNC for a nice compressesed X session if GUI tools are
> imperitive.  The RedHat VNC packages available from Red Carpet can do
> this,  I don't know if they come with RH itself.

Damn, something else I need to learn.  What is iXvnc.  Doesn't ssh compress X,
or can it be compressed to the point that a dial up is enough in some other
manner.  I've tried X over ssh dialup.  Talk about going to china to get tea and
back and it still not being up.  Woah.

I use VNC now to use a windows machine that runs telecom software.  I like it
but am unaware of being able to compress it.

> 
> >So there is more than one way to skin a cat if I had not been brain cramping at
> >the moment.  I could have made the change to some searchable ip address like
> >193.123.75. and then executed
> >grep -r '193\.123\.75\.' /etc
> >but brain cramps do occur.
> 
> Or in my case, frequent paralysis.
> 
> >Running tripwire just sort of happend because It
> >runs every night on that machine and I gave up on that after a half an hour or
> >so.  Then I got the mail from tripwire and it just sort of clicked.
> >OK so what is the point here.  Umm.  Oh yes I remember, an administrator going
> >from windows to linux.  Are the gui's a help or a hinderance.  I still want to
> >see linuxconf tell me what was changed.  Right now it just tells me what
> >services it will restart.  I don't see why every time I changed the ip_allow it
> >tells me I need to restart lpd and xfs.
> 
> lpd and xfs?  That doesn't make any sense.

Yes, every time I use linuxconf it restarts more than I feel it should need to. 
That's one reason why I use it to find out what it is doing to the configuration
files and then never use it for that again.

Dirk