jb_fvwm2 said:
XML is a deal-breaker [2] if I'd want to do any new task, as it is less readable and would take more time. (AFAIK. I am not an
expert in XML, but year after year, it is one tweak at a time,
and the less stuff to learn that is past any plain-text
configuration file is somewhat discouraging. )
XML is like HTML, it looks different to other config files, however the advantage is that a standard XML parser (and that includes your brain, once you learn XML) can parse any XML file.
Which means that you can write a GUI/console tool to read/write XML files, and that single tool can then be used to tweak all the XML config files on the system. On the Mac, that tool is the plist editor.
As opposed to the Unix status quo - needing a GUI parser for
crontab options, another one for the
rc.d syntax, etc. You don't end up with a heap of different parsers to write and debug. You don't run into the situation where (for example) in this particular config file, whitespace means something, and in the another file it doesn't, etc.
Note: I'm not saying FreeBSD *needs* init to be replaced. Just that OS X has done it and I can see several reasons why.
It will, however be an adjustment for users to get used to, and the cost in terms of adjustment time for the entire userbase shouldn't be underestimated.
But in terms of
launchd vs.
systemd I think it's a no-brainer.
And as far as I'm concerned, the whole boot efficiency thing is a
minor benefit of something like
launchd replacing
init,
cron and friends. The standard configuration file format and start/stop on demand are bigger benefits IMHO.
edit:
In fact, I might try and get my head around putting
launchd into a copy of 9.1 myself. I haven't tried anything of this magnitude before so it will be an experience