Description of Problem: It is not clear what happens if one uses "force-reload" or "reload" when the daemon is not running. Basically two things happen: (a) the service is started and (b) nothing happens. Please try to be consistend and to try to find a common opinion with the Linux Standard Base. See gLSB-Bug https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&aid=568246&group_id=1107&atid=101107
At this point, this isn't somethign we'll change in house.
Current gLSB 2.0-pre version: http://www.linuxbase.org/spec/book/LSB-generic/LSB-generic/iniscrptact.html reload - cause the configuration of the service to be reloaded without actually stopping and restarting the service force-reload - cause the configuration to be reloaded if the service supports this, otherwise restart the service if it is running The "if it is running" makes clear that [force-]reload should not start a service which is not running.