Regularly updated files in /etc

[Peter Jeremy]

FreeBSD has gradually moved "dynamic" files (those that are automously
updated during normal system operation) out of /etc.  As far as I can
see, there are only 3 such files left:
1) /etc/dumpdates
   This is (optionally) updated by dump(8).
2) /etc/opiekeys
   This file is opened read-write on every login unless OPIE is disabled
   and is updated when any OPIE-enabled user logs in.
3) /etc/resolv.conf
   This is typically updated during DHCP or PPP negotiation.

Is there a good reason why these files can't be moved to (eg) /var/db?

The benefit is that root can more easily be mounted RO if desired.

I don't see any real downsides for the first two:
- Moving dumpdates out of root just means a different FS would need te
  be writable during dumps.
- opiekeys is only useful in multiuser mode (you can't use OPIE in
  single-user mode because root isn't mounted RW) so there's no need
  for it to be on root.

resolv.conf is more problematic:
- Potentially, it could be needed to NFS mount /var, though this seems
  unlikely in practice.
- Since there are no standard APIs for updating resolv.conf, there are
  likely to be lots of home-grown scripts that know where it is.

Would it be worthwhile moving these files?

-- 
Peter Jeremy
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