Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83 (MC840302); site dido.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!genrad!wjh12!talcott!harvard!seismo!mcvax!enea!dido!john From: john@dido.UUCP (John Collins) Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Access to kmem - System namelist - 'ps' etc Message-ID: <161@dido.UUCP> Date: Thu, 29-Nov-84 12:54:47 EST Article-I.D.: dido.161 Posted: Thu Nov 29 12:54:47 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 2-Dec-84 05:18:18 EST Organization: ENEA DATA, Sweden Lines: 36 Why do so many commands such as 'ps', 'ipcs' and what have you have to use the /unix namelist to find out kernel addresses? I'd like to propose subdivisions of /dev/kmem, thus /dev/kmem/proc for the process table /dev/kmem/inode for the inode table and so forth. Implementation would be trivial. Think of the advantages: 1. "Anyone" could write their own "ps" without being superuser with X-ray vision on /dev/*mem etc. 2. You could control access to the various bits as you wished - no worrying about people monitoring clists for passwords etc. 3. Ps would run a lot faster not having to pick its way through the symbol table of /unix. 4. Ps (and other such programs) would not have to know if the current system wasn't /unix. Should be an environment variable at present anyway. Ok - what have I overlooked..... Start flaming now!! -- John Collins Please note that I am visiting Sweden. Address all replies to ist!inset!jmc Phone: +44 727 57267 Snail mail: 47 Cedarwood Drive, St Albans, Herts, AL4 0DN, England.