Re: Problems with init
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On Fri, Jul 27, 2001 at 09:04:48AM -0700, Joel Baker wrote:
> Perry E. Metzger wrote:
> > I've never been anywhere where I've seen System V runlevels actually
> > used for changing the state of a running machine in practice between
> > one multi-user state and another. When we were re-designing NetBSD's
> > init/rc system, we solicited information on such use. Although legends
> > popped up of machines that changed the state of a database for an hour
> > once a week for various purposes, so far as we could tell cron jobs
> > that simply told the database to change state and such would have done
> > just as well. We therefore went with a "traditional" system without
> > System V style explicit runlevels.
> The only case I've seen something used other than "single", "halt",
> "reboot", and "multiuser" is when a machine could operate either as a
> plain server, or with an X system console on it; runlevel 4 was used to
> designate "multiuser, graphical console".
>
> One could certainly argue that this is a distinction better made in the
> X startup area, but I have seen such a thing with my own eyes; it's not
> legend. Whether it was a good thing or not, well, that's an entirely
> different question. As noted, it could still be handled in other ways.
Some laptop users use runlevels to designate a low-intensity mode
for portable/battery use and a power-on network-on mode.
Some even shut down X when going mobile. I shut down ntp,
pcmcia(cardmgr), cron, etc. myself (tho I do it through
a script since I also need to change network environment and
timezone and put wwwoffle online or offline).
--
Tony
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