I’ve created a wiki entry about running Parabola GNU/Linux-libre on a Librem. Furthermore I’ve added the Librem 15v3 to the list of hardware support.
I hope the entry will serve as a valuable source of information. Feel free to add, edit and improve it
For those who haven’t heard of Parabola yet:
The Parabola project is a community driven effort to provide a fully Free (as in freedom) operating system that is simple and lightweight.
Derived from Arch (the GNU/Linux distribution), Parabola provides packages from it that meet the Free System Distribution Guidelines (FSDG) and replacements for the packages that don’t meet this requirement. Packages are provided for the i686, x86_64, and armv7h architectures.
(Weakly related: this and this thread in Purism forums)
…and offers you a way to avoid systemd, in case you don’t like it (like myself ). I’ve been using Parabola (OpenRC) for quite some time now - it’s a solid OS.
Thank you for adding the Librem laptop to the list.
The exact same stack clash vulnerabilities affect practically all user space in Linux + glibc. They are not specific to systemd. Avoiding systemd will not save you from them.
I understand that you dislike systemd and want to get rid of it, but there are no valid technical reasons to get rid of it, and there are quite some advantages when using it. that’s why Debian and, by inheritance, PureOS are using systemd.
Since you sort of asked for it:
Init is a monolithic binary. It governs system initialization and shutdown, and supervises processes. Two functions in one program. It should be split in two. On my laptop, there are 40-something binaries in /lib/systemd. It’s modular, and each module is specialized and minimal. But enough of nitpicking.
Systemd is licensed under LGPL v2.1, has repository on github which lists 1075 contributors. There are about 100 open pull requests at all times wating for inclusion, and over 6000 of them has been accepted. The documentation is extensive. And yet you call it a walled garden. Please stop. This one claim is completely unfounded.
In the end, it’s just a matter of taste. I like systemd for its fresh approach to things. It is complex, because managing modern unix is complex. When init was created, environments were simpler. Network was permanent, storage was permanent, memory was permanent, periferal devices also were permanent. Nowadays all those things can come and go dynamically. There is a need for something to manage them, and systemd does it.
I feel that we have drifted completely off-topic. So let the above be my last words about whether to systemd or not.
To be fair, there is a ton of garbage that is posted here about how systemd is going to destroy Linux and be a huge failure that only a handful of rather loud but determined people can see coming. What’s worse, many of the arguments are blatantly disingenuous, so cut him some slack for wanting to put the issue to bed. And he has just as much right to point out what’s wrong with your arguments as you have to make the bad arguments yourself. You tried to make a case against systemd, he shut it down, and now you’re complaining that you weren’t addressing him and that you’re just sharing your opinion instead of trying to offer any kind of rebuttal. Are you wanting to share opinions or have your beliefs reinforced?
Edit: I actually came to this thread because I wanted to thank OP for creating the wiki entry for getting Parabola set up; and I got frustrated by the random anti-systemd spam in a thread that had nothing to do with a problem with the function of systemd. I introduced myself to Linux with Arch Linux on my MacBook, and now I’m about to go see what it feels like to have working wireless from a fresh install of an Arch derivative. Thanks.
). I’ve been using Parabola (OpenRC) for quite some time now - it’s a solid OS.
Not cool. In any case, I don’t think we’re here to decide who is to decide whether to systemd or not, we’re just expressing our opinions.