[gentoo-user] Re: gentoo-systemd-only deprecation

[Grant Edwards]

On 2013-07-31, Bruce Hill <daddy@×××××××××××××××××××××.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 01:09:03PM -0500, Canek Pel?ez Vald?s wrote:
>>>
>>> Hmmmn, it's a bit freaking weird - if I'm understanding correctly
>>> some of the statements made here about systemd - that there will be
>>> files installed to /etc/init.d/ that don't actually do anything.
>>
>> If you use systemd, all the files installed in /etc/init.d (except
>> functions.sh) don't actually do nothing. If you use OpenRC, all the
>> files installed in /urs/lib/systemd/system don't actually do nothing.
>>
>> Whichever you use (OpenRC or systemd), you will have files in both
>> locations (actually, a bunch of them), and therefore one of those
>> locations will have files that don't actually do nothing.
>>
>> Unless you use INSTALL_MASK, which is of course what this is all about.

> In English "don't actually do nothing" means "do something"; i.e. "don't
> actually do anything" != "don't actually do nothing".

In standard, formal English, that's correct.

However, in some English dialects, a double-negatve does not equate to
a positive.  A double negative is simply a stronger negative.  For
example, "don't do nothing" is a stronger, more emphatic version of
"don't do anything".  Languages like that have "negative concord". 
Old and Middle English were that way, and some modern dialects of
English are that way.

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