Hi, debootstrap in unstable can now install with merged-/usr, that is with /bin, /sbin, /lib* being symlinks to their counterpart in /usr. Run
debootstrap --merged-usr testing .../testing http://deb.debian.org/debian to give it a try. It has been previously suggested to make this the default for (at least) new installations. I think Russ' earlier mail[1] explains quite well why the "split" between / and /usr doesn't really work out for Debian these days and that trying to maintain it for some configurations (which are not documented) is mostly busy-work. There is also a nice article on LWN[2] summarizing earlier discussions. I found these arguments convincing enough and would like to see the default switched to merged-/usr for Stretch and later. Possibly also switching systems on upgrade to the new scheme (not necessarily already in the Stretch release cycle). Please remember that this still allows / and /usr to reside on different filesystems: in this case the initramfs has to make sure /usr is mounted as well. This is already required for various reasons (again, see [1]). Ansgar [1] https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2016/01/msg00081.html [2] https://lwn.net/Articles/670071/