Why so many .new files?

[kukibl]

After certain upgrades I've checked for some .new configuration files with locate, and this is output:

Code:

/sbin/vxconf.new~
/sbin/config-stage1.new~
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/KDE/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsQK51fa.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/KDE/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionskqW2hc.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/KDE/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsrItFma.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/KDE/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsdm6nNa.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/OSX/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsQK51fa.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/OSX/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionskqW2hc.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/OSX/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsrItFma.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/OSX/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsdm6nNa.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/Plastik/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsQK51fa.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/Plastik/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionskqW2hc.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/Plastik/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsrItFma.new
/usr/share/apps/VLPersonalizer/themes/Plastik/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsdm6nNa.new
/etc/kde/kdm/kdmrc.new
/etc/ssh/ssh_config.new
/etc/ssh/sshd_config.new
/etc/rc.d/rc.udev.new
/etc/rc.d/rc.cups.new
/etc/asound.state.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_applications_help_viewer.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_accessibility_keyboard.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_sound.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_peripherals_keyboard.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_file_views.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_lockdown.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_interface.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_applications_terminal.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_applications_window_manager.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_typing_break.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_background.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_applications_browser.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_accessibility_startup.schemas.new
/etc/gconf/schemas/desktop_gnome_peripherals_mouse.schemas.new
/etc/sysconfig/firewall.new
/etc/sysconfig/modules-2.4.new
/etc/sysconfig/modules-2.6.new
/etc/sysconfig/jackd.new
/etc/sysconfig/X11.new
/etc/backupsys.conf.new
/etc/inetd.conf.new
/etc/modprobe.conf.new
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.new
/etc/sane.d/dll.conf.new
/etc/slapt-get/slapt-getrc.new
/etc/backupsync.conf.new
/etc/skel/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsQK51fa.new
/etc/skel/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionskqW2hc.new
/etc/skel/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsrItFma.new
/etc/skel/.kde/share/apps/kdesktop/IconPositionsdm6nNa.new
/etc/sound/events/gnome-2.soundlist.new
/etc/sound/events/gtk-events-2.soundlist.new

Wow, a lot. I guess many of them (if not all) were already there after clean install. So why is it like that? Is it a mistake by developers or what?

[rbistolfi]

Some packages just generates a .new file instead overwriting an existing one, this is to preserve any customizations you could have made to config files.

[kukibl]

Thank you rbistolfi for your answer, but I know that. The point of my question is - why are there so many .new files after clean install? For example, slapt-getrc is there by default, after first boot. Why aren't those files removed by developers?

[rbistolfi]

I guess they could be deleted. Some of them have some change between versions, sometimes is in the user the choice of "upgrade" the configuration file or the start up script, I don't think they are an actual problem, but well... that's me

[kukibl]

I don't think they are an actual problem, but well... that's me

I absolutely agree. I was just curious why is it like that. Is there any special reason why developers didn't removed/merged them or similar. Thank you once again!