How to check what files have been customised in /etc?

[Chris Green]

On Sun, Dec 13, 2020 at 04:59:01PM -0000, Jonesy via ubuntu-users wrote:
> On Sun, 13 Dec 2020 10:08:35 +0000, David Fletcher wrote:
> > On Sun, 2020-12-13 at 09:58 +0000, Chris Green wrote:
> >> I try as far as possible to keep my system 'standard' with as much as
> >> possible of the custmisation being in /home where I use mercurial to
> >> keep track of changes (and which is preserved when OS is upgraded).
> >> 
> >> However there are inevitably a few global customisations in /etc and
> >> I'd like to track them as well if possible.  I can configure ways to
> >> track them now but can anyone suggest a way to find all the changes I
> >> have done over the years in /etc?  I don't think there are all that
> >> many of them but I know there are some and there are likely to be
> >> some I can't remember how I did.
> >
> > I always comment my changes with reason, initials and date. Then a
> > search for my initials turns them up.
> 
> I created a script to run once a day in cron to copy the 
> system config files (etc.) that I have modified to a special 
> directory in $HOME -- in 'rotate' fashion.  From /etc/ e.g.:
> hosts
> hosts.1 
> hosts.2
> hosts.3
> .........  etc., usw.
> 
> Of course there's the chance that I'll modify a new system file 
> and forget to add it to the script.  Being mostly human......
> 
OP here.  I use mercurial to manage source files.  On one system to
handle files in /etc I have simply used symbolic links to my mercurial
repository, so, for example:-

    /etc/dnsmasq.conf -> /home/chris/.cfg/dns/etc/dnsmasq.conf

Where /home/chris/.cfg is my mercurial repository.

I do also run incremental backups of /home so I have source code
history in mercurial *and* simple dated backups.

-- 
Chris Green