Linux kernel hacker's open rant about systemd

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in linux on (#3V8)
Linux kernel hacker Christopher Barry has engaged a full frontal assault of the systemd Linux subsystem and its creator, Lennart Poettering, on an "Open Letter to the Linux world" published on the Linux kernel hackers' mailing list. Here's a taste:
So why would very smart people who love and use Linux want to create or embrace such a creepy 'Master of All' daemon? Ostensibly, it's for the reasons they say, as I mentioned at the top. But partially I think it's from a lack of experience. Not a lack as in programming hours, but a lack as in time on the Planet. Intelligence alone is not a substitute for life experience and, yes I'll say it, wisdom. There's no manual for wisdom. Implementing systemd by distros is not a wise move for them over the long term. It will, in fact, be their ultimate undoing.
Systemd has been no stranger to controversy. It broke a lot of systems, and important figures in the Linux world have registered their doubt about the replacement to the well-known System V init system, which was a fully transparent collection of human-readable scripts but that led to slow boot times. It will be interesting to see if Barry's rant generates a groundswell of antagonism against the new system, or if it gets ignored, or if it leads to meaningful debate and change.

[Ed. note: picked up this story from comp.misc. Thanks, Rich!]

It's fine (Score: 2, Interesting)

by skarjak@pipedot.org on 2014-08-14 02:36 (#3VB)

Archlinux made the switch to systemd something like two years ago. At the time, there was much complaining (and I was one of the people bitching), but I have to say now that it does the job. It hasn't caused me issues, and it's not that difficult to learn how to use it. People using other distros don't have to be worried, I think.

This rant will change nothing. Plenty of people have complained about systemd, but its advantages end up winning people over once the change has settled in. As the distros adopt it, we'll see users "revolt", then cool down after a while just like for archlinux Debian adopting systemd pretty much means that it's the way of the future.

Let's not forget also that Linux users are quick to complain about change (see: unity, kde4, gnome3). It's understandable: people don't want their workflow to be affected. I think it won't take too much playing around with systemd for most people to feel confortable with it.
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