Re: An idea from a lamer

Cameron Simpson (cs@zip.com.au)
Fri, 26 Feb 1999 00:13:42 +0000


On 26 Feb 1999, in message <000f01be60ec$4f61a420$d06026c2@csaba>
"[iso-8859-2 Sebestyén_Csaba]" <sebcsaba@freemail.c3.hu> wrote:
| I'm missing a function from the Linux. (I speak about a single computer,
| without network, and about the text mode, certainly.) One time more users
| can log in, but they can reach the other's tasks. And if i logged in, and i
| want a new shell i have to type my username and password again. I'd like to
| switch between my tasks, but if another people sit down to this computer
| (and i just suspended my tasks, and didn't logged out), they wouldn't reach
| my tasks.
|
| For example: i can change users by Ctrl+Fn keys, and tasks (as now) by
| Alt+Fn.
| First user is joe, and the second is jack.
| Now jack is working, on his first consol.
| He press Alt+F2, and he gets a new shell, but he doesn't have to type his
| password.
| But when he press Ctrl+F1, he can't work until he types joe's password.
| And if he press Ctrl+Esc, he gets a list about the users currently logged in
| (and on what consol). Whe he press Alt+Esc, he gets a list about all tasks
| currently running (and on what consol).
|
| It would be a good function, if more people use one computer by turns (for
| example a family).

If I understand you, you wish to have multiple sessions active (one per
family member for the example), all accessable from the console. And
that one member not be able to access another member's session without
a password.

I infer that this is because you wish to not lose the state you've
built up in the course of using the session (command history, etc etc).
And also the multiple tasks you may have open - editors, whatever.

I think the nearest solution to your probelm at present is the "screen"
program.
This
- lets you have multiple sessions on the one console
- lets you detach without killing the sessions

You should be able to find an rpm for "screen" at:

http://rufus.w3.org/linux/RPM/

Between them, this may do what you want. You arrange that everyone runs
screen (by hacking /etc/profile, most likely). When a person leaves the
console they detach their screen session and log out like normal. When
next the sit down they log in as normal and reattach to their detached
screen session.

This may do it for you.

--
Cameron Simpson, DoD#743        cs@zip.com.au        http://www.zip.com.au/~cs/

What's the point of having Nebraska if we can't put it to its highest and best use? - Patrick Bedard arguing for a 100 mph speed limit

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