Ken Wilson wrote:
>
> Items you edit in the /etc directory won't take effect until the next
> time you reboot your machine. Items edited in a person's home
> directory, i.e. /home/username/.bash_profile, take effect the next time
> the person logs on. The stuff in the /etc directory is global and only
> run once at boot time.
You've got a bit of confusion going on there, I think.
It's true that the /etc files are global and affect every user, while
files in your home directory only affect that user.
However, it's NOT true that /etc files are only consulted at boottime.
Those files are read at each logon.
The bash man page has the specifics about the reading of the files, but
suffice it to say /etc are read first, then /home are read and replace
duplicate definitions.
--
Steve Philp
Network Administrator
Advance Packaging Corporation
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
