Hi, and thanks for the reply. However, it's not the question I was asking. If, for example, I write the next killer SMTP server, that application needs to run all the time, as a daemon. (I don't intend to write the next killer SMTP server, just using it as an example of a daemon). If I just start the app with nohup, and it crashes, I don't know, and my SMTP is down. Same thing with screen/tmux. I can start it via init, but that usually doesn't include monitoring and restarting either. I can write my app as a daemon, but that is adding to the complexity with no real benefit - daemonizing is something that has been done outside the app for years. daemontools is a suite writing by Dan J Bernstein of qmail fame that provides tools for running apps as daemons, especially the restarting and logging. It works fairly well - takes a command and runs it as a daemon. However it logs messages with a strange non-human readable timestamp. And to remove a service is the arcane: cd /service/telnetd rm /service/telnetd svc -dx . log Note you change to a directory and then delete that same directory. I was hoping for insight into what others use for daemon control in place of daemontools. For what it is worth, my research so far indicates runit is the best option. John January 24, 2017 2:20 PM, "Iznogoud" <iznogoud at nobelware.com> wrote: > John, the following was intended for you and it was yanked-pasted into the > wrong message sent ot Rick. Response below. > >> My question du jour: what daemon controlling system do you use? >> >> I've been using daemontools for years, but don't like the timestamps or >> the way >> directories are part of the UI (for command invocation). It is also no >> longer >> maintained, though one point of view is that it doesn't need to be >> maintained. >> >> Any preferences? Or systems to be avoided? I'm looking at runit - a >> daemontools >> replacement. But there's also systemd and a pile of others. >> >> John > > To the original question, I think there is nothing better than editing files > by hand when it comes to configuring things. This is one of the powerful things > about the unix (and Linux). Convenience, like using GUIs, comes at a price, and > you are relying on somebody else's idea of convenience, robustness and more > importantly security. Never take my advise, but it is to learn to do everything > properly and from the command-line. Keep unix unix and thank me later. > > There are many books on the subject. Get one and start reading and keep it as > a reference. If you want a quick start within the next few minutes, here is > your freebie: http://tldp.org/LDP/sag/sag.pdf The kernel has received updates, > and several more daemons and other system related components have been added > to Linux, and many more so on the more bleeding edge distributions. So, expect > that you will have to stay up-to-date and that it is a moving target. (I do > remember the day that "shadow" passwords were added to prevent hashed ones from > being visible to common users.) > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list