Re: [tlug] disk configuration: drive mounting

[Jonathan Q <jq@example.com>]

Jim O'Connell (oconnell@example.com) wrote:

> People have said that it 'messes up' system files, but I've never found 
> this to be the case, at least for stuff like working with /etc/fstab and 
> installing software, especially perl modules.


Since /etc/fstab is exactly the file under discussion here, webmin would
be, obviously, a bad choice.

People who've used both generally say that webmin is better than linuxconf,
but if it messes up config files and doesn't install software correctly,
that is not a minor problem.  That is a "Danger, Will Robinson, do not
use this software at all" kind of problem.

Webmin also raises a security question: do you really want something
that can alter your system configuration listening on any port, let
alone http? [1]

I am not aware of any graphical frontend for editing fstab that
is as reliable as manually editing it with the text editor
of your choice.  I would say that fstab is one of those things
where, if you don't feel comfortable editing it manually, you might
want to consider whether you should be editing it at all, because
that means you probably don't know what you need to know to fix
it if your graphical frontend breaks it.

The fstab and mount man pages contain all the information you need
to edit fstab.  If you're going to use a graphical frontend to
edit it, keeping a hardcopy of those man pages next to your computer
in case of emergencies might not be a bad idea.  That way, after you
boot from your rescue disk (you've got one, right?) you have the info
you need to fix fstab right at fingertips.

Jonathan "Friends don't let friends use webmin either" Q [2]


[1] Linuxconf also listens on a TCP port (don't recall which) so 
    beware of this, also.

[2] Blatant ripoff of Wileyc :-)