systemd and changes

[Kevin Kofler]

Matthew Miller wrote:
> When there's a compelling use case for NetworkManager on machines that
> don't move around?

The "compelling use case" is that it doesn't make sense to maintain 2 pieces 
of core infrastructure code doing the same thing, especially when one's 
functionality is a subset of the other's. (Now the problem is that it still 
isn't, which I hadn't been aware of before this discussion, hopefully the 
missing stuff like bridging will get added to NM soon, and hopefully there 
won't be another missing piece "everyone" will be complaining about (before, 
it was systemwide settings, static IPs and IPv6, those are all implemented 
now AFAIK).)

And FWIW, strictly speaking, there's a compelling use case for NM on a 
machine that doesn't move around: If the network plug is in another room and 
you don't want to extend a 20m cable through 2+ doors, you have to use 
wireless networking. If you want to use something secure, you cannot rely on 
unencrypted wireless or WEP, you have to use WPA (or WPA2) with AES/CCMP 
(warning: TKIP is also insecure!). But the old network service does not 
support WPA. You either have to apply an unofficial patch (which was never 
applied because no new features are being added to the deprecated service) 
or use an rc.local hack or just use NM, which supports WPA just fine. Of 
course this isn't the average use case for a non-moving computer, but it's a 
use case and it's a machine which doesn't move around. :-)

        Kevin Kofler