# Why would you want to configure inetd?



## johnblue (Dec 14, 2009)

One of the questions sysinstall asks is if you would like to "configure inetd and the services that it provides?"

The default is No, and I was wondering if there is any good reason why you would want to do so.

It seem like an unneeded component ..


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## aragon (Dec 14, 2009)

Nowadays, it kinda is.  Pretty much all service daemons implement their own, superior socket code now.


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## anomie (Dec 14, 2009)

One reason would be to tcp-wrap (libwrap.so) a service that does not have support already compiled in. Example: base system ftpd. 

A more general case would be a daemon that you don't want running / listening all the time. You could have inetd fire it up as needed, when a request comes in. I don't have a practical example for that one.


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