Didier:
...

>      The simple fact of splitting executables between two different 
> directories *is* a complication; merging them back would be a 
> *simplification* :-).

The "splitting" to four dirs., you have /sbin and /usr/sbin. And then
there is /usr/local/{bin,sbin} and ~/bin. So while it's true it would
be simplification to move all bin things to a single directory, there
might be some justification for a split.

And if we want to simplify things, wouldn't it make more sense to get
rid of /usr instead, if you just use a single partition then "/usr"
just becomes a prefix, and unnessesary complication.

Do you see any reason why an ordinary user shouldn't be able to use
ifconfig ?

But then other hand, the complexity is not that great, just adjust your
PATH, Is that anything to argue about ?

The remaining complexity has to do with what is available at boot time
for the init scripts, and in my opinion there is a good thing that boot
things has minimal dependancy, you run into the same thing with initrd.

///

The above is just arguing and nitpicking, you could do it either way
and still be happy, except if you are working with embedded system
where you DO want things (e.g. disk space) to be small or if you nfs
mount your /usr.

Initrd would be an alt. solution in the nfs case, but there you
basically have the same split, initrd beeing the small fs, nfs-/
beeing the big.

So, slimming / and keeping /usr is a good thing for me.

> I've read, from a guy who followed the story, that
> it was originally split because the first disk was too small. Wether it
> has become later a usefull complication can be discussed of course :-)

I heard that story also. History gives you an unserstanding of why, but
can only give a guidance to how to do things today.

Regards,
/Karl Hammar

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