Bug#727708: init system coupling etc.
Josselin Mouette writes ("Bug#727708: init system coupling etc."):
> In all cases, it is unacceptable to put the burden of implementing
> logind on non-systemd systems on maintainers of packages that just need
> the logind interfaces. If it is not available, software such as gdm3
> will depend, directly or indirectly, on systemd as PID 1, and that will
> be all.
Firstly, I think the scenario where the required integration work is
not done is unlikely. But in that scenario, we have two choices:
(a) Effectively, drop all init systems other than systemd
(b) Effectively, drop GNOME
Of these, (b) is IMO clearly preferable. Our downstreams can
straightforwardly provide a more specific Debian derivative which runs
GNOME and (only) systemd. Asking our downstreams to reintroduce
support for a non-systemd init system is not feasible.
With (a) the only option for people who didn't want systemd would be
to either fork the whole of the Debian project and declare themselves
a new upstream for all of what Debian now does, or to abandon Debian
and its derivatives altogether.
With (b) people who want GNOME and systemd can do that work as a
Debian derivative; it is not necessary to fork the whole project.
The doomsday scenario of choosing between (a) and (b) becomes less
likely if we make it clear how bad it would be. We need to provide
appropriate backpressure to encourage upstream decisions that support
the continued freedom of our users.
Ian.
Reply to: