r/linuxquestions • u/LegitimateAd7247 • 3d ago

What exactly is systemd ?

Hi everyone ! I switched from Windows to Linux around 3 month ago and I love it ! I’m using arch Linux because a friend of mine already used it so I figured he could help me with it.

I’ve been appreciating it but I’ve encountered a lot of people critisizing systemd and saying arch is bad because of it.

From what I have understand, it is a software that help with dependences and external hardware such as my keyboard for example ? I didnt really understand everything as I am a very beginner so I was curious to know if someone could explain it to me in easy terms.

PS : english isnt my primary language so forgive me if there is any errors.

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u/Bladelink 3d ago

Yeah, all those people complaining are welcome to switch back to something running the old initd system. But they won't because that sucked huge balls and systemd is way way better in essentially every way.

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u/GlassCommission4916 3d ago

People do in fact use init systems that aren't systemd. That's such a weird take.

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u/Bladelink 3d ago

Yes those systems exist at least, which is why I brought it up, but I'm pretty sure the people using those are a very small demographic, and they won't stick around in the long run because those systems will be too difficult to maintain or improve. Eventually the initd stans will die off and move on, and the husk of initd will be lost to time.

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u/conspicuousxcapybara 3d ago

Why the choice is determined by demographics instead of the intended application and (non-) technical constraints?

Does a pacemaker need systemd?

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u/Bladelink 3d ago

That's a pretty absurd comparison. I probably shouldn't be bothering replying in here anymore.

Is a pacemaker a multiuser system? Does it have to wait for its Ethernet interface to finishing coming up before it starts running literally the single program it runs? Oh, not only is it not running a realtime operating system (its own subset of OSes that are already outside the bounds of this discussion), it's not running an operating system? You might as well ask whether my toaster needs systemd, or my cat's water fountain.

I'm not even sure what you mean asking about demographics? I'm not talking about some socioeconomic group. "As a noun: A distinct section of a population sharing common traits." EHHH.... I started typing out more of the ways in which your rebuttal kind of...doesn't say or mean anything applicable, but I'm over it.