Ubuntu leaving Upstart for Systemd, a decision that will go a long way in preventing further fragmentation

Upstart is an event-based replacement for the init daemon which handles starting of tasks and services during boot, stopping them during shutdown and supervising them while the system is running. The project was kick-started in early 2006 by Canonical. Systemd is similar to Upstart in core philosophies, but comes with added advantages. Initial release was in 2010. Mark Shuttleworth, in his latest blog post, has announced the switch to Systemd from Upstart.

ubuntu switch from upstart to systemd

Debian's switch to Systemd prompts Canonical to change its direction
After much deliberations, Canonical founder and former-CEO Mark Shuttleworth has just announced the Ubuntu's switch from Upstart to Systemd. A move widely seen as pragmatic by his critics and supporters alike. The decision comes after Debian Technical Committee's selection of Systemd over Upstart.  "The decision is for systemd, and given that Ubuntu is quite centrally a member of the Debian family, that’s a decision we support", he added.

Though Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" will still be running Upstart, you can expect the slow transition to happen starting from Ubuntu 14.10. Read more here.