From 8b7b85b057025644a0678a9ed9c11e415307f3c1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Neale Pickett Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 15:14:53 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Explain mdev --- papers/arch-runit.mdwn | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++++--------- papers/index.mdwn | 1 + setup.mdwn => papers/setup.mdwn | 2 +- 3 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-) rename setup.mdwn => papers/setup.mdwn (97%) diff --git a/papers/arch-runit.mdwn b/papers/arch-runit.mdwn index ef01f49..cb00538 100644 --- a/papers/arch-runit.mdwn +++ b/papers/arch-runit.mdwn @@ -363,20 +363,39 @@ You're an Arch Linux sysadmin, you should know what you need, and I can't help you past here. +Removing `udev` +--------------- + +The `mdev` utility of busybox can replace most of what `udev` does. +You just need to have the kernel run `mdev` as the hotplug userspace thingy. + +Recent precompiled kernels have removed support for `/proc/sys/kernel/hotplug`, +so it's necessary to run a userspace program to get netlink events. +You can [use the one I wrote](http://woozle.org/neale/g.cgi/aur/runit-init/tree/src/hurtplurg.c) if you like. + +You'll need to configure `mdev` to set up file permissions that work for you. +A reasonable set of defaults is available +[as another part of my AUR](http://woozle.org/neale/g.cgi/aur/runit-init/tree/mdev.conf). + +Since X11 wants `udevd` for something or other, +you'll also need to tell it to use whatever the old method is. +I don't quite understand what they do, +but the files you need are [in my runit-desktop AUR](http://woozle.org/neale/g.cgi/aur/runit-desktop/tree/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d). + + Getting rid of `systemd` ------------------------ -Some readers might be disappointed that I didn't explain how to get rid of `systemd`. -Sorry, guys. -X11 requires `udevd`. -Until that dependency goes away, -or until Wayland is usable, -I don't see any way around having systemd installed. -When it *is* possbile to remove systemd, -you might be able to use the `mdev` program in busybox to replace `udevd`. -I played with this a little bit, -and it looked promising, -but I gave up when I saw that I wasn't going to get to run X. +At this point you are not running anything in `systemd`. +But you still need it installed, +because a lot of things depend on libraries it's taken over. + +Don't panic about this. +It's going to be okay. +You have lots of things installed that you don't strictly need. +I chose Arch over Gentoo because I like precompiled packages, +even though that means they bring in a couple things I don't need. +`systemd` is one of those things. Have fun! diff --git a/papers/index.mdwn b/papers/index.mdwn index 8ce4acb..a7b9e1a 100644 --- a/papers/index.mdwn +++ b/papers/index.mdwn @@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ Roller Derby Stuff Computer Nerd Stuff ------------------- +* [The Setup](setup.html): the hardware and software I use * [Writing formal letters with roff](roff-letters.html) * [Runit on Arch Linux](arch-runit.html) * [Reply-To Munging Still Considered Harmful](reply-to-still-harmful.html) diff --git a/setup.mdwn b/papers/setup.mdwn similarity index 97% rename from setup.mdwn rename to papers/setup.mdwn index 240c02f..090e6bb 100644 --- a/setup.mdwn +++ b/papers/setup.mdwn @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Who are you, and what do you do? I write software. Mostly I hack around the periphery of free software projects, -jumping in occasionally to things that interest me with patches. +occasionally tossing patches to projects that capture my interest. A partial portfolio is on my [source code page](src/). I also do computer security training for middle and high school kids,