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binaries in /etc/ -- i mean __really__

• NekkoDroid 2y ago
  Fun fact: the linux kernel itself actually also looks for `/etc/init` before it even looks for `/bin/init` https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/4a5df37964673effcd9f84041f7423206a5ae5f2/init/main.c#L1525-L1529 https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/4a5df37964673effcd9f8...
• tedunangst 2y ago
  Yes, really. That's what /etc was for.
  • gjvc 2y ago
    I know. I'm saying it's sick. I hate computers.
    • kps 2y ago
      Why sick? That was the directory for binaries that weren't meant to be run directly — `getty`, `login`, etc. Today there's much more software, so some things got moved into finer-grained locations like /libexec and /sbin. That wasn't the case in the /etc/glob era when the entire UNIX system was smaller than today's average web page.
      • gjvc 2y ago
        and /sbin was full
• stevekemp 2y ago
  Even now you'll come across this, for example "/etc/rmt" probably exists, and other tape-related binaries if installed.