Re: [9fans] how to lock cpu console

[erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>]

> rio is such a minor thing to run on today's massive machines, I'm not
> sure I really see the problem in starting it on your cpu server
> anyway. I frequently set them up to launch into rio because:
> 1. It's easier to fix things when I can cat /dev/kprint in a window
> rather than have it constantly interrupting me
> 2. I like to be able to interrupt programs
> 3. It's nice to run more than one thing at once, have a graphical editor, etc.
> 4. Full-screen stats is pretty
>
> Of course, none of these reasons matter to you, since you don't run
> rio on your servers AND you don't think there's any reason to lock
> them (I agree!), I'm just pointing out that graphical lockers and rio
> in general are far from useless on a cpu server.

i'll buy that.  but i think you're missing the basic reason
that the plan 9 cpu console is so minimal.  there's no
reason to use one, unless you are doing the most basic of
system maintence.  and using one is not without risk.
for example
- you've got admin privs.  it's easy to forget any abuse this.
- an errant ^T^Tr ^P or vulcan nerve pinch reboots the
server and not your terminal.

here are some additional reasons that rio makes life
more difficult
- the serial console is now useless; no fixing or rebooting
the machine from home
- you need a kvm port or a real keyboard/video/mouse
to fiddle with the machine even locally.

for me, the loss of the serial console alone makes
running rio on a cpu server a non starter.
the serial console has saved me a good 3-4 trips into
the office this year.

- erik