I noticed today when I downloaded the Media Server to create a Debian package, that Plex is advertising Debian 8+ for their download:
Ubuntu (16.04+) / Debian (8+) - Intel/AMD 64-bit
Debian Jessie and Stretch still support alternative init systems besides systemd. Please include the SysVinit scripts in the official packaging.
Yes, lots of people still chose to not run systemd as it has many detractions and few benefits for users, esp. on servers. Please provide the old init scripts that you already created and used to distribute. systemd users won’t notice or care that they are there. Thanks.
Debian 8, which is based on systemd, does not use init scripts.
init has been replaced by systemd as pid 1.
No init scripts are required nor installed.
cat /proc/1/comm
will return init or systemd
This is what controls installation.
Plex on Debian was first officially supported as mainstream begining with Debian 8 for this reason.
Ubuntu made the switch to systemd with Ubuntu 16.
Debian has made systemd the default, but that is not the only init system supported. SysVinit and OpenRC are also available. Not everyone uses systemd.
By providing the init scripts in official package it will also support other Debian distributions such Devuan.
Systemd is what we chose to support.
Prior to this, Debian was only supported as a volunteer effort by a Ninja.
That ninja has since left the program to pursue other interests.
You are half right. As Ryushin said, sysvinit is supported just not default. apt-get remove systemd works great still. Since there is literally no support needed other than copy the files back and add them to the rules file, could this be re-added? Ryushin has been doing this for every release on his own and even has handy instructions.
Please allow me to rephrase.
We are deprecating / sunsetting all init support for those systems which support systemd as well as were forced to update our minimum glibc requirement to 2.14.1 This breaks most of the old init based systems.
OpenSuse has already been migrated. No updates will be released for any OpenSuse using init. PMS 1.15.0 supports systemd only on OpenSuse.
Init isn’t going to remain forever.
Asking Plex (mostly me) to keep old versons and all the configuration permutations around forever isn’t fair either.
I hate to say this but it is true. “I am but one person and unless there is overwhelming justification to keep something around, I can’t because not enough hours exist in the day to do so”.
If you can help me make the case to keep init, then I will champion it and get more help.
I can tell you now, special cases aren’t going to ‘cut it’.
How can I justify keeping init when it’s not the default on Ubuntu or Debian ?
What do you need? Another person to help? I’ll do that, or Ryushin maybe, I mean he already does it for Devuan which is basically debian with 0 systemd bits. There is also gentoo where sysvinit will never die. I’m not sure why you think glib has any bearing to the init system, but there are many people who do not/will not use systemd. I’m not sure it would be any extra load for anyone once it’s in unless the binary path/name changes, but there are people who would gladly help. BTW i’m on init and glibc is 2.24 and i believe Devuan and Gentoo have at least as new a version.
Because Paid users are asking for it and it’s little/no effort, and they’d be willing to help if/when needed.
Related: I have no idea why I have a lifetime plex pass since every bug that affects me has been around for as long as Plex and doesn’t seem to ever get fixed. VR is added, but a 2 or 3 episode file only has the first ep marked as played so it’ll play all 3 three times?
I’m more then willing to help in anyway I can. I’m sure a lot of Linux users would be more than happy to help. You have access to a lot of smart people that you can tap here.
Please bare with me.
I have drafted a thread, which management must approve (due to the content in it).
When they do, Everyone will see and understand that i’m trying to help everyone.
The challenge is how to keep PMS technology advancing without locking it to the lowest common denominator (which it is now)… which also happens to be init-based linux 3.x kernels.
I am going to press for them to approve and allow me to post on Monday
By all means, keep it advancing. I can understand not having to support 3.x kernels any longer. But SysVinit, OpenRC, etc. are still used in modern linux systems. The init system should not get in the way from keeping Plex advancing. Heck, it’s simple job is just to start/stop the Plex daemon. SysVinit is simple and it does its job very well. Thing it, SysVinit is not going anywhere. It’s still very much supported by a bunch of distributions.
Please utilize us. We are willing to help.
I look forward to reading your thread on Monday. Please post a link to it from here.
Can you also just lock the old Debian Ninja thread instead of closing it down. It has a lot of useful information in there to build your own packages with SysVinit scripts and should be archived. Thanks.
I will apologize.
There are two issues floating here and I got them confused. (what I get for working two weekends in a row… 
)
Now that I know what’s what, If it’s ok, I’m going to go stick my head in the sand for the weekend and relax 
We will get it all sorted out.
Again, I rarely mess up but when I do, it’s a good one and this was probably my best yet. GAK!
haha
Was the announcement made yesterday? I did not see anything mentioned in the server-linux area.
No, not everything was 100% resolved. There are a couple more things to solidify.
Any chance on being able to at least view the old thread? There’s too much good info in it for it to be gone… and thanks to the new forum I can’t even print it right, all the old posts are hidden but show if you scroll.
Any word on this. It’s been another week. Can the old thread be brought back online or at least archived?
Have those two items been worked out yet?
Unfortunately no.
It has been given to Engineering and Product development to resolve.
Understandable. Can the old thread at least be brought back online for the time being.
