multiple replication scenarios questions

Hello list.

I had a look at section 18 of the admin manual, as I was trying to 
figure difference between scenarios 18.2.2 (N-way multi-master) and 
18.2.3 (mirror mode). Whereas the descriptions of both scenarios are 
quite clear, given examples configuration are quite confusing (at least 
for me).

First, they are quite hard to compare, as the first one uses LDIF 
syntax, whereas the second uses the classical file configuration syntax.

Second, they both use the same directives:
- a different serverId for each nodes
- mirrormode on for each nodes
- syncrepl directives for each nodes

The only difference being than for multi-master, each node has syncrepl 
directives for each nodes (including himself), whereas for mirrror mode, 
each node only has syncrepl directives for other nodes. But it's hard to 
figure if that's because of the replication scenario, or just because in 
the first case, the configuration has to be identical everyhwere given 
that it's replicated automatically.

So, what is supposed to be different at configuration level between 
those two scenarios ?

Additonal question: doesn't a classical single-master + multiple slaves 
scenarios, where each slave use chain overlay to automatically forward 
all changes to the master, also achieve exactly what is described in the 
mirror mode description ?
-- 
BOFH excuse #248:

Too much radiation coming from the soil.