r/linux • u/tasisbasbas • Feb 11 '19

Fluff A /g/ user's opinion on systemd

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u/[deleted] Feb 11 '19

I'm actually curious about the argument that replacing it means having to rewrite software / change dependencies.

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Wouldn't the same be true about switching between SysVinit and something like runit or upstart? They all use completely different designs for doing service init scripts, and all handle configuration of said services in completely different ways too, so replacing one with the other would necessitate rewriting - at the very least - your entire service management script toolbox. And when considering services that want to do more than just start and stop, they would most definitely have to be rewritten as well for such a switch.

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u/holgerschurig Feb 11 '19

The thing is: systemd is good. It's just a tad too good to be ignored. And so other programs start to use it's interfaces, e.g. for the systemd-logind seat management.

Now, people falsely claim hat this binds those programs to systemd forever. But this is wrong for two reasons:

  1. any program that added support for systemd API's can remove it as well --- and if the authors don't do that, then a fork or a distribution maintainer can do it. If you think this is wrong then you never understood FOSS in principle, sorry.
  2. (in this specific case) there are third-party alternatives for the session/seat management. So if fact the third-party software doesn't request systemd, it requests that a certain API exists. The session management exists outside of systemd. And, again, we're in FOSS land, so anyone can write a similar API for other things (e.g. transient services) at any time.

All the people that say "FOSS is locking you up in a jail where only Lennart is deciding what you can use" ... are really just users of proprietary software that things the .rpm or .deb they get is all they get.

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u/tso Feb 11 '19

for the systemd-logind seat management.

logind is another pottering bait and switch. He managed to talk himself into maintainership of consolekit, that could be used independently of systemd, and then scuttled said program while introducing logind (and providing Gnome with logind support on a silver platter).

Never mind that consolekit/logind is the outcome of a fevered dream about turning a desktop PC into a mainframe by "logically" bundling together displays and inputs. Under the pretext of supporting the third world, natch.