Re: If Linux Is About Choice, Why Then ...
On Sat, 01 Apr 2017 20:08:04 -0400 Catherine Gramze <rhiamom@mac.com>
wrote:
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPad
> > On Apr 1, 2017, at 7:30 PM, Patrick Bartek <nemommxiv@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > Never came across those during my research before posting my initial
> > query here. And I read a lot of articles. Still have found nothing
> > stating exactly why Linux distros don't offer a choice of inits
> > during install, even in "expert" mode. You can choose just about
> > everything else. I doubt that particular option was even
> > considered.
> >
> The Debian page: https://wiki.debian.org/Debate/initsystem/systemd
> does a pretty good job of explaining the reasons for the switch.
I've read it. And numerous other articles on the subject Both sides
make valid points. However, in the end, it comes down to personal
preference.
> My best guess as to the lack of an init system choice would be the
> huge ripple effect on documentation, making it harder to document
> Debian when the user may be using either a sysvinit shell script or a
> systemd utility. Not to mention the added developer time of
> maintaining two init systems.
The documentation for ALL the init systems has already been written and
is fairly comprehensive. Maintenance on the various inits, except
systemd, of course -- its implementation is still very new -- seems
minimal. So, all that can't be the reason. Must be something else.
> Choices in things like appearance, aptitude vs. Synaptic, Blackbox
> vs. Gnome do not effect how the system itself operates, but the init
> system does.
Installing the init system is no more involved than installing any
other system component or application. I've done it numerous times.
And I don't do computers for a living. All you have to do is read and
follow the instructions. Sometimes, it's as simple as installing it
and rebooting.[1]
So, why isn't the choice offered? I think developers just used the one
that was most used, and most familiar with system admins, and left it at
that. Now, that has changed. It will be interesting to see how things
evolve. Maybe, someone, et al, will take the leap and offer a choice.
Thanks for your response.
B
[1] FWIW, to change from systemd init to sysvinit on Stretch is as
simple as 'apt-get install sysvinit-core' and reboot. Seems the Debian
delevopers made it easier to do with Stretch than Jessie. Maybe,
they've been listening.
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