[ On Thu, July 27, 1995 at 11:50:25 (-0700), Steven Plite wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: /etc/default
>
> More like "from two to a few".  If we want(?) to generalize BSD run levels,
> why not allow for an arbitrary number?  I can see it now:

I'll see your ounce of sarcasm and raise you a pound of flexibility.  ;-)

The original 8 states by AT&T seem like enough, but why *not* go to
something like 256?  Who knows what useful possibilities might arise?
Remember when 16-bit words were enough? ;-)

> Why not put all the system-defined levels at the beginning [0-x], and allow
> [x+1-n] to be user defined?

If it's a totally generic tool, how (or why) do you specify the difference?

BTW, the only reasonable argument I've heard against the idea of run
levels (i.e. making init a full multi-state machine, rather than a
two-state one) is that the *potential* for obscure complexity in such a
critical part of the system is too much to risk....  My only answer to
that is that I've always felt highly restricted by the old style init,
esp. when I needed to do important things at critical times in the
systems life -- SysV init feels like a breath of fresh air in a big open
meadow!

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 443-1734			VE3TCP			robohack!woods
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets Of The Weird <woods@weird.com>