etc directory in UNIX

Question

Please explain the usage of /etc directory and UNIX? Can we have comman setting defined for all users in this directory?

Answer 1

Please read this: http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#ETCHOSTSPECIFICSYSTEMCONFIGURATION

Answer 2

Here's the "official" answer: http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#ETCHOSTSPECIFICSYSTEMCONFIGURATION

It's similar to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive of the Windows registry: It contains system-wide settings for software (as opposed to per-user settings).

Answer 3

Generally only root/wheel write access into /etc/ Common settings application wide, possible, but I still prefer applications to store their configurations in their own filesystem structure. We needn't muddy the filesystem by going about shoving non-system application configs in there, let us not repeat the registry ills.

Answer 4

Please find the links given below:

File System

Article on /etc