Ubuntu Technical Documentation, and update-fstab

[Sivan Green]

Hi LIst,

Two things on my mind:

A.
  Seeing the traffic on ubuntu-users regarding re occuring problems of
linux "external" file systems access and mounts by the complete end
user, I suggest adding an "update-fstab" script to the system. This
way even if someone introduces a new partiton of this nature, it would
be seemless to integrate it for access using GNOME.

As I see it the process can be broken apart to 2 stages:
1)Detection phase -- using some detection method to try and detect all
of these available file systems and prepare a comprehensive list of
those.

2)match each file system we detect  to a "preset" configuration
parameter scheme that will maximize usability, e.g. gid and umask for
the ntfs and fat32 filesystem to allow non root users to access it,
any other applicable params for UNIX/linux like filesystems etc. for
any posix compatible file system, at least ro access could be 
automatically configured for the regular user.

3)Compile all this info to a fstab config file, and restart the
effected services.

this might make a good usability improvment, avoiding such error as
wrong mount types resulting in data loss on user's exisintg
partitions, ease of use etc.

B.
  As I myself still feel overwhalmed by the amount of background and
the specifics this project involves, I'd like to start the "Ubuntu
Technical Docs" e.g. , docs for developers and wannabe's (like me :-)
) I believe this can be a good way to document most if not all the
work that take place on ubuntu, as well as establish a common ground
for development information exchange. Take for example when someone
needs to make a new installer cd to test something, he should be able
to consult this reporistory to accomlish his task, instead of asking
the person in charge.

I know this is also maybe a bit too soon as this stage of ubuntu, but
as the project gets bigger , the sooner the better ;)

I have started a draft at :  wiki.ubuntu.com/UTD

feel free to comment and add ideas.

Cheers

Sivan