How/why does network-manager interfere with /etc/resolve.conf

[john]

Hi all,

One of my gripes over the last year or so is the increasing complexity
and abstraction of Ubuntu as regards networking management. I used to
be  to be confident that I could control mac to logical interface
mapping with iftab, or name resolution with /etc/resolv.conf, or
assignments with
/etc/network/interfaces. Lately it seems like everything is controlled
by network-manager or dbus or some arcane mapping file that lives in
some far-flung sub-directory.

My current problem is trying to stop network-manager from over-writing
my /etc/resolv.conf file when I start the server using bonding.

I guess I don't understand how network-manager, dbus-subsystem, etc,
etc, work with regards to networking. I feel like it's getting harder
and harder
to figure out "who's in charge"

Can anyone point me in the right direction to learn more?

Thanks!

John