Decisions in Unix.

[Soren K. Lundsgaard]

Re: article <895 at elsie.UUCP>, Re: Auto-logoff facility in Unix

   A question:  how is it that we decide that logging off users after a time IS
   the shell's business while asking for your password is not?

Thats a dumb question, and one that I run into a lot.
My answer:

	Make the decision.

My reasons and rationale:

	If you have the power to make the decision, who cares what
	rationales you use.

People are always worried about ruining the Unix environment by
changing it.  But they don't understand that that is why Unix is such a
good environment.  Here at St. Olaf we have hacked Unix to bits, adding
whatever we want to the kernel.  Now, it is still Unix, we can still
run version 7 binaries on our 11/70, and 4.1 binaries on our 780, but
our operating system and user environment are tailored to our needs.  I
think that that is what has consistenly made Unix so popular.  Could it
be true that once people start running little boxes with a binary Unix,
they will be dissatisfied with it?  sure.  I can see leaving here, and
hating the new environment.  Why, because our environment is tailored
to our needs, (and it has some nifty mods too.  For example, we don't
use the command 'ps' here, and have a much better way to find what
processes are running etc.)

Sorry for diverging, but my point is twofold.
	1) Why go to the net and ask people why or why not
	you should do something.  Do it.

	2) Unix was meant to be tailored to individual needs.  Don't
	feel bound to stay within the 'Unix' philosophy.  Play an active
	role and change it.  As Lewis Thomas has stated, 'Perfection can
	only be reached by Change.' (or something like that.)

Soren K. Lundsgaard.  St. Olaf College.  Northfield MN.