systemconfig (a.k.a "activate") is run from the initramfs. Converting
it from a shell script to an executable means it doesn't depend on
there being a shell in the initramfs
the jffs2 filesystem contains only /nix/store and a script which is
run in early init (initramfs) and is responsible for recreating
"traditional" directories (/bin /etc/**/* /var &c) based on the
configuration.
this is tested only in qemu so far and could use some cleanup
Daniel Barlow