top: allow more flexible approach for startup defaults
Those references below offer more detail regarding the
default startup changes beginning with version 3.3.10.
It is important to remember that all such changes were
supposed to impact only new users or users who had not
saved the personal config file (via that 'W' command).
However, I introduced a bug wherein the rcfile was not
fully honored. This gave the changes a bad reputation.
That bug was corrected in release 3.3.11 but the issue
of default startup options keeps resurfacing. And it's
clear there's no consensus on what should be included.
Our --disable-modern-top configure option is of little
help since it remains an all-or-nothing approach. What
we need is an answer offering unlimited customization.
So, this commit will provide distribution packagers or
system administrators with a much more flexible way to
set their own preferred startup default configuration.
A new rcfile is being introduced: '/etc/topdefaultrc',
whose format/content is the same as a personal rcfile.
Thus once a 'proper' enterprise configuration has been
established and saved via 'W', it can be copied to the
/etc/ directory. Thereafter, startup in the absence of
a saved rcfile will use that configuration as default.
Now if a distribution packager or system administrator
wishes to expose their users to some of top's advanced
capabilities they can do so gradually. Perhaps setting
up graph mode for summary area task and memory display
while retaining the %CPU sort could be tried. Or maybe
showing colors, but better customized for a particular
terminal emulator. Such possibilities are now endless.
[ in exploiting this new capability, i hope that the ]
[ other windows (alt display mode) aren't overlooked ]
Reference(s):
. Sep, 2014 - Not fully honoring rcfile bug discussed
https://www.freelists.org/post/procps/top-saved-rcfile-bug
. Oct, 2014 - Attempt to defend new startup defaults
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=
1153049
. Jul, 2015 - Forest vs. %CPU views discussion
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps/issues/6
. Oct, 2017 - Question the use of --disable-modern-top
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=
1499410
. Oct, 2017 - Forest vs. %CPU views discussion again
https://www.freelists.org/post/procps/Forest-mode-by-default-in-top-seems-a-bit-strange
. Dec, 2017 - Rehash of 3.3.10 startup defaults change
https://gitlab.com/procps-ng/procps/issues/78
Signed-off-by: Jim Warner <james.warner@comcast.net>