On my systems, one box uses xntp3 to get the time from NIST servers and the rest sync off of it. The ntp replacement installs itself, but defaults to being off in all levels. There is no check to see if xntp3 was on anywhere. At least it doesnt mangle the original ntp.conf file.
Without a pre-configured NTP server in the package, which can't be done, there is little reason to turn on xntpd/ntpd.
That's faulty logic. The default server in the ntp.conf is 127.127.1.0 and a sanity check to see if the server is turned on would indicate either they like checking their own navel or they have put in a server IP. I have one machine that check's NIST and all other machines check it. When I upgrade xntp3 and now ntp, it turns off the package. So I have to turn it back on. From a customer service viewpoint this disrupting an existing process by not checking and annoying people. Everytime I upgrade I have to run thru a checklist of things that get turned off, and I am knowledgeable, it's still annoying.