>Could someone explain to me why it is that our named looks in
>/etc/named.conf for a named.conf file, but our default named.conf file
>ships in /etc/namedb/named.conf?

i think it used to be that the presence (or absence) of the file was
an additional control over whether or not named got started.

>This has bugged me for years. I always ritualistically make a symlink
>to fix it, but it is silly.

i think you're expected to mv it, but what ever.

>Assuming it is an accident of history, and I have no reason to believe
>otherwise, I want to fix it.
>
>There are two ways to do this: change the default in the binary, or
>change the default in /etc/defaults/rc.conf.

change the default in /etc/defaults/rc.conf.  this will, however, mean
that named always has flags.  some people might not like this.  they
can, however, just use the rc.d mechanism to start and stop named, or
they can move the file and clear out the flags.  keeping the
named.conf file with the other files has a sort of symmetry to it (ala
sendmail and /etc/mail).

leave the binary the same, so that people who replace the binary (like
i am apt to do) will not get bitten by the change there.

-- 
|-----< "CODE WARRIOR" >-----|
codewarrior@daemon.org             * "ah!  i see you have the internet
twofsonet@graffiti.com (Andrew Brown)                that goes *ping*!"
andrew@crossbar.com       * "information is power -- share the wealth."