Deleting parameters.

[The DJ]

> I'm just a Samba user really, but I lurk on this list so I know where
> samba is headed and when new releases are coming out.

He me too !!!!!! 

> That said, I don't have any problem with you guys changing smb.conf around
> between major releases.  If you decided to rewrite all the parameters, I
> might be annoyed but I would just read the docs and write a new smb.conf.
> Between major releases, I don't have any expectation that the interfaces
> will stay the same.  I certainly didn't expect everything to work the same
> between Samba 1.x and 2.x.  I'm still running Samba 2.0.7 because it
> sounded like there were a lot of differences in 2.2.x (not config wise,
> but in the architecture).
> 
> This is what major releases are for.  Significant new features, major code
> changes, interface rewrites...  If you're not willing to make changes for
> 3.0, when will you?

Indeed, maybe it is time to say "We mad a lot, lot of changes" a whole lot
of times and next to every download link.
If not now then when, if ever.
Maybe if we do it enough, then for once all the idiots who don't read
readme's and changelogs will do it this time.

> I'd like to toss in my two cents about parameters as well.
> 
> ***There are too many parameters.***
> 
> Get rid of all the redundant parameters.  If the goal is to make things
> easy for the admin, then having redundant/unnecessary parameters is a step
> backwards.  I don't care if somebody else can't spell "writable", having a
> duplicate parameter under another spelling does not solve the problem.
> Having the same parameter but in negative logic form does not help either.

Agreed, interface technically (and I followed quite some courses on this) it
is real real bad design. Too visualise it: Take a GUI. What we have now is a
checkbox on one place for "read only" for instance and a checkbox at another
place for "writeable", and they can both be set aswell. The current
situation would only be allowed by my mentor if I placed the two parameters
at the same spot and used radio buttons, so only one option can be set.
Something which of course in conf files cannot be done.

I say reduce the clutter to make it easier on new admins, and let the old
ones read up on it.

> If you can collapse multiple parameters into one parameter in a simple,
> easy to understand fashion, then do so.
> 
> <stepping off my soap box...>
> 
> Andy

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Universiteit Twente
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Derk-Jan 'The DJ' Hartman
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