Access to kmem - System namelist - 'ps' etc

[Perry Kivolowitz]

> Why do so many commands such as 'ps', 'ipcs' and what have you have to use
> the /unix namelist to find out kernel addresses?
> 
> I'd like to propose subdivisions of /dev/kmem, thus
> 
> 	/dev/kmem/proc		for the process table
> 	/dev/kmem/inode		for the inode table
> 
> and so forth. Implementation would be trivial.
> 
> Think of the advantages:
> 
> 1.	"Anyone" could write their own "ps" without being superuser with
> 	X-ray vision on /dev/*mem etc.
> 
> 2.	You could control access to the various bits as you wished - no
> 	worrying about people monitoring clists for passwords etc.
> 
> 3.	Ps would run a lot faster not having to pick its way through the
> 	symbol table of /unix.
> 
> 4.	Ps (and other such programs) would not have to know if the current
> 	system wasn't /unix. Should be an environment variable at present
> 	anyway.
> 
> Ok - what have I overlooked.....  Start flaming now!!
> 
> -- 
> 		John Collins
> 

It has been said often that the best ideas are the ones which are simple.
This seems to me to  be   an   effective yet simple way to break key data
structures into the open. The  idea of  doing so is not a new one to this
news group, numerous persons voiced arguments both for and against such a
tack. (I can't  recall any of the arguments against...someone want to re-
fresh me?) To my mind the most  important of the points listed by John is
making programs which  currently   require the name-list of the currently
executing o.s.,  name-list   independent.  It's a good idea - and fits in
well with established UNIX* philosophy. 

Another point (though pretty  obvious,  is well worth making) is that im-
plementing /dev/kmem/data-structure  files  will  not in any way make the
current ps, df, etc incompatible. Not a point to be dismissed lightly.

Related topics: 
		Research at Stony  Brook  University; Viewing data struc-
tures in the kernel as relations and operating on them as such.

		``Processes as Files'', Thomas J. Killian, 1984 Summer
Usenix Conference.


							Perry S. Kivolowitz
							Heurikon Corporation

-----------------------------------------------
*UNIX is a trademark  of  a  once proud but now 
morally destitute company.