Thanks

> Dependency resolution in an init system doesn't need anything remotely this elaborate.

Rete is not elaborate. It is a clean elegant modular algorithm.

> We don't even need alternates (what for?).

Alternate networks. Sometimes alternate data stores. Alternate entropy sources - you want sshd ASAP but maybe not until you have some entropy. "If I can't get any entropy bring up sshd only on the private LAN and if that doesn't work fall back to telnetd on the private LAN."

As the "new" init systems try to invade serious servers they will keep on running into problems and adding more keywords and reliving the 70's until they eventually relearn the lessons of the early 80's.