2-user systems

[Patrick Wolfe]

>In article <28370 at usc> kjh at pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) writes:
> What do you loose if you get a 2-user system?  How is it crippled?
> Do you get root + 2 users?  Do you get only 2 simultaneous logins, or
> only 2 users in /etc/passwd?

Esix 3.2 Rev D allows any number of logins in the password file, but the
/bin/login program stupidly restricts the number of simultaneous logins to
two.  I say stupidly, because it doesn't work properly.  Any number of logins
may be made at the console (where up to nine virtual terminals may be running),
but only one login at a dialin or other port is permitted.  The login program
apparently counts login entries in /etc/utmp, only allowing up to one login
from any port other than /dev/console or /dev/vc??.  Stupid.

I have a terminal in my living room, a bi-direction modem, and a two user Esix
system.  Now, you'd think that I'd be able to login to my terminal while
someone was dialed in (as long as no one is logged into the console).  Not
true.  Esix complains "too many users".  The opposite is true too.  If I'm
logged into my terminal, no one can access my bbs.

This problem can be worked around by replacing the "login" program.  A slightly
broken version of the "login" program is available from uunet.uu.net in the
/unix-world directory.  Be sure you don't violate your license by allowing more
than two users on at one time!

	Patrick Wolfe
	Internet:  patrick at whistle.kai.com
	UUCP:      uunet!kailand!whistle!patrick