Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site fluke.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!mhuxn!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!fluke!joe From: joe@fluke.UUCP (Joe Kelsey) Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: Access to kmem - System namelist - 'ps' etc Message-ID: <1974@vax4.fluke.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Dec-84 14:39:27 EST Article-I.D.: vax4.1974 Posted: Mon Dec 3 14:39:27 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 19:15:20 EST References: <161@dido.UUCP> Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA Lines: 16 I think that one system cal UNIX has been missing for years is one to return kernel structures. Sure, /dev/kmem is a very general way to provide whatever access you want, but it is an open hole into the system and as such it is open to security problems, etc. A system call can be made much more secure and can also provide MUCH faster access to the required structures than hacking around with namelists and kmem... However, it does complicate the case of ps, etc., reading core dumps. No matter what change you propose to /dev/kmem, it is bound to break ps, pstat, etc., access to crash dumps. I really like being able to use ps on crashes, but I also dislike the speed penalty you pay for runtime-access. There must be a better (or at least faster) way! As I see it, ther is no easy solution (or free lunch for that matter). /Joe