The reason I use so many self.query_ methods is because those allow for runtime changes to things, based on a locked config. I'm not sure if we need or want query_abs_dirs() to be modified at runtime. * verify we don't need runtime modifications to query_abs_dirs() ** if we do, either get rid of those or figure something else out, including WONTFIX * switch self.abs_dirs to a ReadOnlyDict, with a base set of dirs populated at __init__(). We can add to the list. * lock it with the config. Dumping them to the log or upload_dir might be good too.