2. Why is it "hot"

Linuxconf is both a configurator and an activator. It is the one which decide if ...

• A daemon must be started.
• A configuration command must be executed.
• A daemon must be killed/restarted.
• A daemon must be signaled (kill -HUP ...).
• A network interface must be (re)configured.
• A network route must be set/remove.
• A volume must be (re)mount.

Linuxconf act based on configuration files. It knows about most Linux configuration files and can compare their status with what is running currently. Based on this query, Linuxconf can bring your system "current".

Whether you use Linuxconf's user interface or edit the configuration files by hand is unimportant. The following command

                linuxconf --status
        

will give you a report of what has to be done to bring the system "current".

                linuxconf --update
        

will do it for you!

Rebooting is simply not an option anymore. This is really its main goal. Every time you quit Linuxconf, it will probe all configuration files and make sure your workstation is "current". If it is not, it will tell you what have to be done and do it (you are allowed not to do it).