README for SysV init
====================

SysV init is a classic initialization program (PID 1) for GNU/Linux and
other UNIX/POSIX systems. It is designed to be small, simple and to
stay out of the way.

Init is the parent (or grandparent) of all other processes on the
system. It kicks off the starting of other system services and
can act as a parent process to services which no longer have an
active parent process.

SysV init uses the concept of runlevels. A runlevel is a configuration of the 
system which allows only a selected group of processes to exist. 
The processes spawned by init for each of these runlevels are defined in the 
/etc/inittab file. Init can be in one of eight runlevels. The runlevel is
changed by the administrator running the telinit command which selects
which runlevel we want to use.
       
More information on init, runlevels and switching between them can be found
in the init manual page. (See "man init".)

contrib		Unofficial stuff, add-on programs
doc		Documentation
man		Manual pages
src		Source code

For instructions on building and installing SysV init, please
see the "doc/Install" file.