System update spec proposal

[Chris Ball]

Hi,

   >> I have a general question on how this vserver/overlay/whatever
   >> system is supposed to handle system files that are not part of the
   >> system image, but still exist in the root file system. For
   >> instance, take /var/log/messages or /dev/log? Where are they
   >> stored? Are they mixed in with the other system files? 

   > Just a note about these particular files.  I don't think that on
   > the final version that we're going to be running a kernel or syslog
   > daemon. We're running them right now because they are useful for
   > debugging but I don't want those out there in the field taking up
   > memory and writing to the flash when they don't have to be.  I
   > suspect that for most users they will have very little use.

We're currently using a tmpfs for these (/var/log, /var/run, plus others)
so they aren't being written to the flash at all.  I'd rather have us
keep doing that than turn them off, since we're throwing away useful
in-the-field debugging information (for anyone who wants to help fix
laptops remotely, not just us) if we turn them off.

- Chris.
-- 
Chris Ball   <cjb at laptop.org>