Re: ALTER SYSTEM SET command to change postgresql.conf parameters (RE: Proposal for Allow postgresql.conf values to be changed via SQL [review])

On Jul 30, 2013 7:32 PM, "Josh Berkus" <josh(at)agliodbs(dot)com> wrote:
>
>
> I don't think you understood GSmith's argument. For Debian/Ubuntu
> sysadmins, configuration files live in /etc/, *period*. Even ones which
> were automatically generated. The packagers and scripters of that OS
> have taken a significant amount of trouble to make that so, including
> writing their own wrapper scripts around utilities for Postgres, Apache,
> etc., in order to support putting all configuration files in /etc/.
>

I used to be a Debian package maintainer. I packaged kerberos and afs and a
number of smaller packages. I know why Debian separates config files.

If a file is automatically maintained then it's internal program state just
like the list of users, databases, tables, etc.

Programs keep their state in /var. It would be just as wrong to put
auto.conf in /etc as it is to put the existing postgresql.conf in PGDATA.