ABOUT /.et /configure  Rick Hohensee 19971123--19990910 humbubba@smart.net

 This directory is "configuration files local to the machine" (see hier).
This directory (/etc) is also refered to as "read-only single machine state
info" by GNU configure --help , which is also a good description.
Files which control system initialization and files which control how this
system is connected to the outside world are here.  

As a minimum, be aware of inittab, resolv.conf, inetd.conf and passwd. 

Here's a guide. Many have seedocs.

   1 ABOUT               	"You're soaking in it."  Madge
   1 HOSTNAME			the name of this box
   1 NETWORKING			YES or other
   1 NNTP_INEWS_DOMAIN		I_should_put_my_domain_in_etc_NNTP_INEWS_DOMAIN

   1 default/			getty/uugetty stuff, docs in the dir
   1 diphosts			name to IP mappings for DIP callins
   1 exports			controls NFS exportables *
   0 fastboot
   2 fdprm			common floppy formats
   1 fstab			file system table. used by fsck, mount.. *
   2 ftpaccess			ftp server config *
   1 ftpconversions		
   0 ftpgroups
   1 ftpusers
   1 gateways			
   1 gettydefs			speed, tty settings for getty *
   1 group			lists of users per group *     
   1 host.conf			
   1 hosts			IP's of certain hosts, especially 
					localhost 127.0.0.1
   1 hosts.allow		hosts who can use our net servers
   1 hosts.deny			hosts who CAN'T use our net servers
   1 hosts.equiv		hosts we consider us, i.e. rsh is allowed
   0 inet@			symbolic link to . 
   5 inetd.conf			our servers. man 8 inetd 
   3 inittab			the first init file, configured in terms of 
					runlevels
   3 inittab.gettyps.sample	
   1 ioctl.save			
   1 issue			the message shown before login 
   5 ld.so.cache		man ld.so
   1 ld.so.conf
   1 localtime			time in binary *
   3 login.access		*
   8 login.defs			required by shadow and lots of stuff *
   3 lpd.conf			line printer daemon configuration
   8 lpd.perms
 121 magic			magic # data for the   file   command *
   1 mail.rc			mail initialize ( runcom, run commands) file
  10 mailcap			metamail capabilities file *
   1 motd			Message Of The Day, shown at successful login
   1 msgs/			ftp server messages
   1 mtab			somewhat redundant to /proc/mounts 
   1 named.boot			for running a nameserver
   1 networks
   1 nntpserver			the newserver used by this system
   1 organization		So we hope.
   1 passwd			crucial user info
  17 pnpdevices
   1 ppp/
   3 printcap			printer capabilities data
   2 profile			commands performed for every login
   1 protocols
  12 psdevtab
   1 rc.d/			the bootup initialization file tree, some distros vary
   1 resolv.conf		crucial IP addresses, e.g. localhost and your nameservers
   0 rmt@
   1 rpc
   1 securetty			where root can login from
   6 services			which net services this system knows about
   1 shadow			actual location of encrypted passwords
   1 shells			which programs login can call as user shells
   1 skel/			skeleton, a directory template for user directories
   1 slip/			for SLIP
   1 slip.hosts
   1 slip.login
   1 syslog.conf		configuration of the logging daemon
   8 termcap			terminal capabilities data file, defines vt100, linux, etc.
   1 ttys
   0 utmp@
   1 vga/			libvga, BKA SVGAlib config
   0 wtmp@
