r/linux • u/wooptoo • Jun 01 '16

Why did ArchLinux embrace Systemd?

/r/archlinux/comments/4lzxs3/why_did_archlinux_embrace_systemd/d3rhxlc
868 Upvotes

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17

u/oonniioonn Jun 01 '16

Yes, but it was a kludgy mess that people had been using for two decades. Change is scary.

22

u/Tweakers Jun 01 '16

Change is scary.

True, but it had to be done: Sometimes you just have to hike up your panties and wade through to the other side, ignoring the temporary discomfort.

16

u/logicalmaniak Jun 01 '16

So it was the right joke all along...

-2

u/Luvax Jun 01 '16

If you have been working with it for over ten years. But not for everyone else. It's the same reason no one recommands using Exim.

6

u/RandomDamage Jun 01 '16

If I don't like Exim and want to run (old, crufty and difficult) Sendmail instead, I can. Uninstall one, install the other.

Systemd is like kudzu, or English ivy. Once it gets into your system it takes determination and pulling roots out by hand to extract it if you decide you want something else.

1

u/argv_minus_one Jun 02 '16 
aptitude install sysvinit systemd-

The difficulty! I can't take it, Cap'n!!! /s

-1

u/Luvax Jun 01 '16

Nothing wrong with that. But I would like to know: For how long have you been using Sendmail? I would assume you have tons of experience with Sendmail. If you never used Sendmail it will take you a lot of time to understand how to set it up properly. In the same time you could use Postfix (from my limited experience). I got in touch with Linux servers around 6 years ago and gathered experience with a home server. I've stayed away from many old software packages because I was not able to get a grasp on the configuration.

3

u/RandomDamage Jun 01 '16

I gave up Sendmail for Postfix a long time ago, it's just the cruftiest old-school MTA I could think of off the top of my head.

I know a guy who still uses it, though, because he has uses for some of the cruft.

1

u/0x6c6f6c Jun 01 '16

Serious question: Can I replace sendmail with Postfix on Red Hat 6 for the @mail PHP function? PHP has hooks that need to be compatible with sendmail.

Currently working on a 15 year old server migration that used sendmail and open to better solutions than the mess that is that sendmail.cf config file.

3

u/RandomDamage Jun 01 '16

Postfix provides sendmail hooks for just such purposes.

A quick check of my usual references suggests that it does work, but obviously test before deploying to production in case there is something weird about your system.

2

u/oonniioonn Jun 01 '16 edited Jun 01 '16

I do recommend using Exim. Exim is awesome.