Almost any program that uses a hard coded filename path can be "tricked" 
through the use of soft links.  It is only programs that expect very 
specific verification/activation encrypted sequences in specific files, 
and that in some cases "call home", typically from for-profit vendors 
attempting to enforce strict compliance with a licensing "agreement" 
(the vendor dictates, the user must agree), for which this method may 
(in some cases) pose a problem.

However, one needs to know WHERE the magic files are kept, and, 
preferably, the internal layout (format) of the files and the data therein.

Yasha Karant

On 05/24/2013 10:41 PM, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> On Wed, May 22, 2013 at 11:06 AM, Yasha Karant <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Is there a single list of the various "stock" configuration files and
>> directories used by the various applications that come with EL?  For
>> example, printing configuration is in /etc/cups/*, and there are many other
>> examples.
>
> No, nad it's not really feasible due to programs doing fascinating
> things like using hard-coded files in places like /var/lib/[package]
> or /var/www/ or /usr/share which are hard-coded RPM files replaced
> with each release, but which the packagers neglected to designate as
> config files.
>
> However, the File System Hierarchiy strongly suggests the use of
> "/etc/" for almost all config files, and that's a good place to start
> looking.
>
>> At one time, this was not as needed as today -- there were far fewer
>> applications, and most (all?) had configuration files that were in /etc .
>> Many (most?) of such configuration files in the current epoch seem to be in
>> some path from /etc, but it can be a bit of a hunt to find these files.
>>
>> Yasha Karant