servman --- simple service manager + an rc script
=================================================

This is a simple service manager. Additionally, I provide and rc script for
booting. Even though the rc script lies in the same directory as the service
files, it is totally independent from the service manager.


Booting a complete usable system
--------------------------------

To clarify the booting process, here are three needed tools:

- An implementation of init(8)
    Its only tasks should be to be the parent of all processes and run an init
    script on startup. sinit[1] is an init of less than 100 understandable C
    code that basically does nothing more than call an init script. sinit also
    calls a script when it is signaled about reboot or shutdown. You can also
    call your scripts directly instead of using sinit.

- An init script
    The rc script provided here only defines what happens on boot, reboot and
    shutdown. It does not seek to do anything else.

- A service manager (not absolutely needed)
    This one should manage the services on a machine (how services need to be
    started and stopped). Services can be started on boot by the init script. I
    provide a service manager called servman.

In fact, the line between the last two items is not always well defined. For
example, hwclock could be set in a service file. The user can decide where to
start something (in the rc script or a service).


servman usage
-------------

Service files should be put in /etc/init.d/all. They should implement three
functions: start, stop and status. They should return 0 (default) on success and
1 on failure. Running services will become symbolic links in
/etc/init.d/running. Type `servman --help' to know how to use it (or read its
code, it is very short).


Warning
-------

Everything inside the init.d/ directory should be checked before use.

You should read the rc script. It contains what is part of my system
initialization. You will likely have different needs. The script contains
variables that should be defined in the file /etc/init.d/rc.conf. You have to
create this file yourself.

Also, the scripts in the init.d directories are not necessarily maintained. The
scripts that I don't personally use were added at some point and left there
unmaintained.


License
-------

servman is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3. See the
COPYING file for the full license.


[1] http://tools.suckless.org/sinit/