Is it possible to start Ubuntu (or any other modern UNIX OS) or get it to any usable state without the init software.
By this I mean replacing init with bash and manually initializing all the components.
So far i've managed to edit grub at start and get the bash shell but I don't know where to go from here!
Also can't find any topic on this! 
Thank you!
What do you mean by "init software"? The init program, run by the process with pid 1, is THE *nix system, assisted by all the drivers and system programs needed to get things done.
bash is only one amongst other possible command line interpreters forming the interface between users and the system.
Well, that is the assignment! - "replace
init
program with some other", I guess what you are saying it is not possible.
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