Configs: Host configuration tool

There are so many of these sorts of tools about, one more won't hurt...

Besides this one is totally cool. It can install/remove files, set permissions, remove set-[ug]id bits, load archives and patches and just about anything else you want. A single configuration tree can support multiple operating (UNIX) systems, releases and architectures.

The install list format is based (with permission) on some earlier work by Rodney Campbell, and while this tool has many new and improved features such as package lists, conditionals, support for multiple operating systems, releases and architectures, it remains backwards compatible with old install lists.

Check out configs(8). You can download configs and a sample config tree from:
http://www.crufty.net/ftp/pub/unix/

The archive is in gziped tar format. I used to use cpio, as that was easier for updating just the files that are newer, but figure anyone using this seriously will be using CVS or similar to import our distribution, and most folk find tar easier. To view the content use:

	tar ztvf config-sh-YYYY-mm-dd.tar.gz

and to unpack it, use:

	tar zxf config-sh-YYYY-mm-dd.tar.gz

The archive version number represents the date it was posted.

Solaris sites should find install_patches(8) particularly useful.