[tlug] Current practices for Linux partioning?

[Jonathan Byrne <jonathan@example.com>]

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across this article:

http://freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/separate-usr-is-broken

Now, that just seems wrong to me; it's not the Unix Way to be unable to 
boot without /usr mounted.
However, looking at the list of distros that are either already using 
systemd or have it in testing, and the fact that it has been proposed as 
a dependency of Gnome 3.2:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systemd

makes it appear that systemd is the way of the future. Ubuntu isn't on 
that list, but if Debian has packages for it in Testing, chances are it 
may be coming to an Ubuntu Near You down the road a piece.
As I prepare to upgrade my Envy 15 from Win 7 to Linux, what your 
thoughts around partitioning? Should I hold my nose and make a / big 
enough to contain /usr, or should I Do Things The Way I've Always Done 
Them, which is this partitioning scheme:
/
/boot
swap
/tmp
/usr
/usr/local
/opt
/srv
/var
/var/spool (if it's a system that will be running an SMTP daemon; in 
this case, not)
/home

Thanks,

Jonathan