STARTUP/SHUTDOWN SEQUENCE

1 . A method for modifying a startup sequence for a computer system using a directory-based initialization process comprising:

installing in a memory device accessible to a computer system a permanent soft-link in an initialization directory, the permanent soft-link pointing to an initialization script located outside of the initialization directory;

initiating a system startup of the computer system wherein the initialization script acts to modify the startup sequence to include execution of an application script; and

initiating a subsequent system startup wherein the application script is executed.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the initialization script is executed during system startup and during system shutdown.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the initialization script acts to modify the shutdown sequence by adding at least one symbolic link to the initialization directory.

4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the permanent soft-link in the initialization directory is named so that the permanent soft-link is a start script executed early in the startup sequence for a particular initialization so as to alter the startup sequence as it continues in that particular initialization after a first execution of the initialization script as well as subsequent system startups.

5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the permanent soft-link is the first start script executed in the startup sequence.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein execution of the initialization script causes permanent changes that are applied to subsequent system startups.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein execution of the initialization script causes permanent changes that are applied to subsequent system shutdowns.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

installing in a memory device accessible to a computer system the permanent soft-link in the initialization directory so as to allow execution of the permanent soft-link during a smooth shutdown, the permanent soft-link pointing to the initialization script located outside of the initialization directory;

initiating a smooth shutdown of the computer system wherein the initialization script acts to modify the startup and shutdown sequence to include execution of at least one application script; and

initiating a subsequent system startup wherein the at least one application script is executed.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the initialization script acts to modify the startup sequence by adding at least one symbolic link to the initialization directory.

10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the initialization script acts to modify the startup sequence by deleting unneeded symbolic links and adding symbolic links to the initialization directory.

11 . The method of claim 1 wherein during the initiated subsequent system startup,

the modified startup sequence invokes the application script with a first personality link, and the application script responds by initiating a first application script relevant to the first personality link; and

the modified startup sequence invokes the application script with a second personality link after the invocation by the first personality link; and the application script responds by initiating a second application script relevant to the second personality link and different from the first application script.

12 . The method of claim 1 wherein during the initiated subsequent system startup,

the modified startup sequence invokes a first soft-link, which invokes a first application script; and

the modified startup sequence invokes a second soft-link which invokes a second application script different from the first application script.

13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the directory-based initialization process is a Linux based system.

14 . A computer system configured with an operating system adapted to initiate a startup sequence for the computer system through a use of scripts in various initialization directories, the computer system comprising:

a set of at least one memory device accessible to a computer system containing:

an initialization directory, the initialization directory containing:

a permanent soft-link in an initialization directory pointing to an initialization script located outside of the initialization directory;

a first personality link which initiates operation of the initialization script; and

a second personality link which initiates operation of the initiation script;

the initialization script which

responds to initiation from the first personality link by initiating execution of a first application script and

responds to the initiation from the second personality link by initiating execution of a second application script different from the first application script.

15 . Computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions configured to:

cause a computer system to modify an initialization directory to point to an initialization script located outside of the initialization directory; and

install the initialization script outside of the initialization directory, the initialization script adapted to modify a startup sequence for the computer system.

16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the initialization script when executed modifies the initialization directory such that a first start script in the initialization directory initiates the initialization script which responds by initiating a first application script, and the initialization directory contains a second start script that initiates the initialization script which responds by initiating a second application script different from the first application script.