Use launchd daemon (or launchd agent) instead of deprecated StartupItem for VirtualBox on MacOSX

[sierkb]

VirtualBox on MacOSX uses Startup Items (/Library/StartupItems/) and places files in /Library/StartupItems/VirtualBox .

Startup Items are deprecated since MacOSX 10.4 (and only recommended/allowed for legacy use) in favor of launchd daemons -- even more on MacOSX 10.5 and 10.6 and the forthcoming MacOSX 10.7.

See:

Apple Developer: MacOSX Reference Library: Technical Note TN2083: Daemons and Agents ​http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#technotes/tn2005/tn2083.html

Section "Old Systems and Technology" -> Deprecated Daemonomicon ​http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#technotes/tn2005/tn2083.html#SECOLDDAEMONOMICON

Suggested fix: Don't use a startup item placed in the (deprecated) directory /Library/StartupItems/ .

Instead, use a launchd daemon with a Property List placed in /Library/LaunchDaemons/ or a launchd agent with a Property List placed in /Library/LaunchAgents . For details and differences, see ​http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/technotes/tn2083/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS10003794-CH1-SECTION2

​http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/technotes/tn2083/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS10003794-CH1-SUBSECTION2

​http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/technotes/tn2083/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS10003794-CH1-SUBSECTION3

Also see in the same document, section "Daemons" ​http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#technotes/tn2005/tn2083.html#SECDAEMONS

Apple Developer: MacOSX Reference Library: System Startup Programming Topics ​http://developer.apple.com/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPSystemStartup/index.html

With major changes apparently coming for Mac OS X 10.7, this relatively simple fix should be given priority.