[ale] "shutdown -r now" vs "init 6" vs "reboot"

[jimmy.oliver at fastmail.fm (Jimmy Oliver)]

Which is the preferred way to reboot a linux box?  I have always used  
init 6.  The box in question is a RHEL 3 install.  My understanding  
of the RedHat init scripts was that shutdown just called init 6  
anyway.  Can someone give the preferred method, and detail the  
differences between the 3?


Thanks,
-Jimmy