How do I stop Ubuntu from starting daemons I've not explicitly asked to run?

Solution 1:

Install sysv-rc-conf and simply turn off the services you don't want to have running.

sudo apt-get install sysv-rc-conf
DESCRIPTION: sysv-rc-conf gives an easy to use interface for manag‐ ing "/etc/rc{runlevel}.d/" symlinks.

Solution 2:

As someone with a similar problem, I feel very strongly that it is not reasonable for a daemon to presume that the user wants it started per default: There are a many perfectly valid use cases where this is not the case. (Not to mention that it is not always clear which installations actually include a daemon.) The daemon could be off per default, the user could be explicitly queried, or there could be a central setting. Anything else is Microsoftian reasoning entirely unworthy of Linux.

In addition, I find several of the above comments to the original poster to be rude, patronizing, and lacking in constructiveness. To suggest, e.g., that he should either accept the default behaviour or change distribution is truly remarkable. Firstly, no distribution will be a perfect fit, and jumping to a new distribution with associated extra work is unlikely to be a realistic solution over this one thing. Secondly, proficient Linux/Unix users are used to every behaviour being changeable: A problem may take two hours off digging, but then it is fixed. The natural thing for such a user to do, when the defaults are unsuitable, is to assume the existence of a work-around and try to find out what it is. Thirdly, in open source and free software etiquette, If you don't like it, then patch the source code!'' is an acceptable response; however,..., then take a hike!'' is not.