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Path: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!CINCOM.UMD.EDU!todd
From: todd@CINCOM.UMD.EDU.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: re: OBSERVE.MAR
Message-ID: <8612191451.AA23817@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Thu, 18-Dec-86 12:12:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8612191451.AA23817
Posted: Thu Dec 18 12:12:00 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 19-Dec-86 23:39:38 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: "TODD AVEN" 
Organization: The ARPA Internet
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Approved: info-vax@sri-kl.arpa


Jerry is quite right about the dangers of OBSERVE. It is *not* a
robust program in any sense. It does, however, work with virtual
terminals. It does not work with DECnet pseudo-terminals, nor with
PTY pseudo-terminals, though. Another thing to know is that your
terminal must be at an equal or higher baud rate than the observed
terminal for OBSERVE to work. You can not use it to observe spooled
terminals (I've tried, because I wanted to see what was going on
with my laser printer). The baud rate and spooled device problems
won't crash my system, so they *might not* crash yours (but who knows?).

The bottom line (as usual) is:

DON'T EXPERIMENT WITH PRIVILEGED CODE ON A SYSTEM WITH OTHER USERS
AND/OR NO CURRENT BACKUPS.

This is just common sense, though easy to forget.

Todd Aven
the Softwear Sweatshop
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