Why is /sbin/initscript.sample not /etc/initscript.sample ?

Lockywolf · 06-15-2018, 10:40 PM

initscript.sample is provided by the sysvinti package.

The script's comment suggests that it should be placed in /etc/ :

Code:

#		<snip>. By default this script is installed
#		as /etc/initscript.sample, so to enable it you must
#		rename this script first to /etc/initscript. <snip>

However, the package SlackBuild does it differently:

Code:

cp initscript.sample $PKG/sbin/initscript.sample

https://mirrors.slackware.com/slackw...nit.SlackBuild

Why? What's the rationale? I seldom (read 'never') saw /etc and /sbin being on different partitions.

rkelsen · 06-16-2018, 01:31 AM

Slackware's init is a BSD-style init, meaning that it is a series of scripts.

The SysVinit package provides compatibility with SysV. I suspect that the modifications to the SysVinit package have been made so that SysVinit can provide that compatibility without intruding.

Lockywolf · 06-16-2018, 01:50 AM

I know. I'm playing with the Slackware's sysv emulation at the moment, because I had some trouble making VMware run.
For me it doesn't make much sense to ship a script prototype in /sbin/. Probably either ship it in the default location, or just throw it away completely, as with other unused parts of the sysv.

GazL · 06-16-2018, 05:06 AM

init does look for it under /etc/

Code:

$ strings /sbin/init | grep initscript
/etc/initscript

OP. is correct, there's definitely an inconsistency here. Whether the sample should be moved to /etc, or sysvinit patched to look for it in /sbin/ I guess is a matter of preference.

Maybe just putting it in /usr/doc/sysvinit* (it is a sample after all) and leaving those who want to install it to do so manually is the right approach.

Darth Vader · 06-16-2018, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lockywolf

Why? What's the rationale?

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