If there can be a convergence on this topic, I think it
might be useful addition to the Devuan FAQ,
relevant as it concerns init freedom.

Q: I'm not ready to move to Devuan yet. Can I setup Debian to use sysvinit instead of systemd?

A: For Buster (Debian's current stable distribution) the
following steps are suggested.

apt install -y sysvinit-core elogind
apt --purge autoremove

[Answers for Jessie, other releases]

--
Joel Roth

"Welcome to the World Heat Bank, where we store your waste
energy and return it with interest."