ADB: what are system/secure/global namespaces about? In the 'settings' command (i.e. which invokes cmd command) there are 3 namespaces 


system
secure
global


What are these and why are some features on one rather than another?
The Android developers pages give the answers to both your questions.


System


  System settings, containing miscellaneous system preferences. 

Secure


  Secure system settings, containing system preferences that applications can read but are not allowed to write. These are for preferences that the user must explicitly modify through the system UI or specialized APIs for those values, not modified directly by applications.

Global


  Global system settings, containing preferences that always apply identically to all defined users. Applications can read these but are not allowed to write; like the "Secure" settings, these are for preferences that the user must explicitly modify through the system UI or specialized APIs for those values.



Each link also states when the settings were first introduced and provides a list of variables, functions that can be accessed programmatically (not just through adb), if they are deprecated, etc.