"Make it as easy as possible, but not simpler". I think this applies perfectly here. Systemd has very complicated requirements due to its very unique position in a Linux distribution. And as a (power) end-user of it, you basically need you basically needs to touch only /etc
> Systemd has very complicated requirements due to its very unique position in a Linux distribution.
But are all those requirements actually necessary for the job it's doing? Or have its developers imposed artificial constraints through their choices in designing systemd that make it more complex than it could otherwise be?
The combination of distributions existing and believing they “own” parts of the system, and users needing to override settings means it is as simple as possible, and no simpler.
A distribution 'owning' a directory means that the package manager is allowed to change files in there, and allowed to assume nothing major was changed from what it installed.
A distribution that doesn't own any directories like this effectively can't make any changes. It's like writing a class without private fields.
