  Linuxconf 1.6
  Introduction

  This is the seventh release of Linuxconf, a new admin tool for Linux.
  After more than two years of development at Solucorp, we are quite
  proud of it.  It is available from sunsite.unc.edu as
  /pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf-1.6.src.tar.gz
  /pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf-1.6.bin-aout.tar.gz
  /pub/Linux/system/Admin/linuxconf-1.6.bin-elf.tar.gz

  1.  What is Linuxconf

  Linuxconf is a new admin tool for Linux. It goes much further than the
  simple set of user interface dialogs and script based utilities. It is
  a fully integrated utility which help you maintain a working Linux
  system without difficulties.

  Linuxconf knows how to manage quite a few things in your system.

  2.  Why is it "hot"

  Linuxconf is both a configurator and an activator. It is the one which
  decide if ...

    A daemon must be started.

    A configuration command must be executed.

    A daemon must be killed/restarted.

    A daemon must be signaled (kill -HUP ...).

    A network interface must be (re)configured.

    A network route must be set/remove.

    A volume must be (re)mount.

  Linuxconf act based on configuration files. It knows about most Linux
  configuration files and can compare their status with what is running
  currently. Based on this query, Linuxconf can bring your system
  "current".

  Whether you use Linuxconf's user interface or edit the configuration
  files by hand is unimportant. The following command

                       linuxconf --status

  will give you a report of what has to be done to bring the system
  "current".

                  linuxconf --update

  will do it for you!

  Rebooting is simply not an option anymore. This is really its main
  goal. Every time you quit Linuxconf, it will probe all configuration
  files and make sure your workstation is "current". If it is not, it
  will tell you what have to be done and do it (you are allowed not to
  do it).

  3.  Linuxconf takes control very early

  One component of linuxconf is called "askrunlevel".  It takes control
  very early. A call to /sbin/askrunlevel must be placed at the end of
  your /etc/rc.d/rc.S file (or equivalent such as /etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit
  on redhat systems).  This utility allows you to select a proper
  runlevel (logical operation mode) or to completly reconfigured your
  system even before the boot sequence is finished.

  From this utility, you are allowed to ...

    Start Linux in graphical mode (xdm) and fully activate the
     networking.

    Go graphic, without networking.

    Run as an X terminal.

    Start in text mode, full networking.

    Text mode, no network.

    Configure the workstation.

  Linuxconf allows you to configure the workstation even before it is
  fully booted. This is a winner as it saves you from false start boot
  (often with an invalid network configuration).

  4.  What Linuxconf knows so far

  Linuxconf knows how to configure and managed the following things.

    System time, time zone, CMOS clock.

    LILO management.

    Basic networking configuration (IP numbers and net mask) of the
     four Ethernets adaptors.

    Static routing. Default route.

    Filesystems (/etc/fstab).

    Routed daemon.

    NIS client (ypbind).

    NFS server.

    PPP client configuration and activation.

    Users and groups.

    The named daemon. Yes Linuxconf provides a friendly interface to
     configure and maintain a DNS. Check this out!

    Sendmail. Check this out!

    Fire-walling (Packet filtering).

    RARP setup.

    IP Alias setup.

    UUCP management.

  Further, Linuxconf provides a friendly interface to configure theses
  files and more.

    /etc/fstab

    /etc/host.conf

    /etc/hosts

    /etc/networks

    /etc/resolv.conf

  5.  Command line mode

  Linuxconf provide a command line mode allowing better integration with
  shell scripts. Here is a sample

    netconf --runlevel local | client | server

    netconf --status

    netconf --update

    netconf --connect pppaccount

    dnsconf --set host ip-number ...

    dnsconf --unset host

  The dnsconf utility should be easily integrated with the DHCP daemon,
  allowing full synchronization with the DNS.

  6.  Web mode

  You can point your favorite web browser to any linuxconf's managed
  linux station and fully configure it. This is a major feature for
  remote administration.

  7.  Current state

  Linuxconf is now usable and already a big time saver.

  Linuxconf install over any standard Slackware system includind the
  latest 3.0 and redhat (3.0.3) systems.  Just UN-tar linuxconf-1.3.bin-
  aout.tar.gz (or bin-elf) in the root and execute /install/doinst.sh.
  Read carefully what is written.

  Linuxconf may work with other distribution (it should in fact).  I
  have no experience with other than Slackware (2.x and 3.0) at this
  point, so I can only recommend Linuxconf to really experienced users
  (Using something different than Slackware or redhat).

  This is the seventh public release. Many glitches has been cured.
  Linuxconf is now fully translatable. All strings has been moved from
  the source files and put in a dictionnary.

  8.  Documentation

  Linuxconf has online help (context) for most screen.  (49 out of 69
  help screen are done). This represent a lot of work. Comments and some
  help are welcome.

  9.  Technology

  Linuxconf is written in C++. It currently has a ncurses interface. It
  scores at around 38,500 lines of code.

  It currently compiled with GCC 2.6.2 and GCC 2.7.2.  For GCC 2.6.2,
  define the environement variable OLDGCC

                       export OLDGCC=on

  10.  Future

  Many more things are expect to be included in Linuxconf.  Here are few
  of them.

    Graphical user interface..

    Inittab, and getty management.

    inetd.conf

    Samba management.

    sudo management.

    bootp, DHCP.

    httpd server configuration (Apache in progress).

  11.  Mailing list

  A mailing list has been setup to discuss bugs and features of
  Linuxconf. Join the list by sending a message to

                       linuxconf-request@solucorp.qc.ca

  Send a message to the list using the following address.

                       linuxconf@solucorp.qc.ca

  12.  Licensing

  Linuxconf is distributed under the GNU GPL license.  See the file
  LICENSE included in the distribution.

  Like most other Linux components, there are very little restrictions
  about usage and redistribution. We would like to hear from
  distribution maintainer. Linuxconf is certainly a key candidate to
  ease Linux acceptance.  Comments are welcome!

  13.  Author

  Linuxconf was written at Solucorp by Jacques Gelinas
  (jacques@solucorp.qc.ca). Solucorp is installing Linuxconf to customer
  site for some time now.  Solucorp is a consulting company doing work
  in the following fields.

    Linux!

    Networking (Internet services, fire-walling).

    Multi-platform software development.

