Re: Installing an Alternative Init?

On Mon, Nov 10, 2014 at 1:26 PM, Patrick Bartek <nemommxiv@gmail.com> wrote:

On Mon, 10 Nov 2014, Michael Biebl wrote:

> Am 10.11.2014 um 17:26 schrieb Patrick Bartek:
> > On Mon, 10 Nov 2014, Michael Biebl wrote:
>
> >> You can use pre-seeding and run
> >>
> >> preseed/late_command="in-target apt-get install -y sysvinit-core"
> >>
> >> in the debian-installer. While that does indeed first install
> >> systemd-sysv, it's directly replaced again during system
> >> installation and doesn't require you to boot with systemd as PID 1.
> >> So it might be pretty close to what you're looking for.

Should I install LILO first and then replace it with GRUB? Should I install Gnome first and then replace it with XFCE? Hardly.

Of all the options available in the NON-expert installer, the choice of init alternatives might not warrant a user selection option, but all of the _consequences_ of that selection, i.e., things that get sucked in, mandate that users be offered a choice.

Silent selection of a user-hostile init system is probably sub-optimal. After all, what gas Debian got to hide? In theory, nothing. But Yogi Berra had some insightful comments about the difference between theory and practice.

> > Thanks. But wouldn't it be nice if as an option, you could just
> > pick which init you wanted in the installer. It would make things
> > so much easier. Too late to implement this, I suppose. Maybe, in
> > the next release?
>
> Most users simply don't care and don't want to be bothered with this.

I agree, but enough do -- mainly server guys -- that it is a problem.

> It's not like we prompt the user whether he wants to use grub or
> isolinux. If we added an explicit switch, this would have to be in
> expert-install-mode only imo. I can't speak for the d-i people, but

Maybe, we should for diversity of choice. There is an option of where
to install grub after all even though most put it on the MBR. But I
agree the init options should be in expert-install. Will make everyone
happy. Freedom of choice is the greatest freedom.

Freedom to make such a consequential choice should not be limited to experts.

Lee Winter

Nashua, New Hampshire

United States of America