Re: [Xpert]Re: User-level Tasks in Hotplug Scripts?

[David Brownell <david-b pacbell net>]

> >>Jim, if the user is logged in so is the rest of the user interface. Why
> >>not have a monitoring program (like console) that watches the hotplug
> >>events and invokes corresponding configuration program ? 

Actually one of the goals of the hotplug framework is to avoid
requirements to have Yet Another Monitoring Daemon hanging
around wasting resources ... likewise, to avoid needing to start the
apropriate magic program before plugging in devices.
  

> >>This would also
> >>allow for various user environments to customize configuration tools to
> >>match their look.

... of course, if the events could get fed into some existing daemon
(via authenticared RPC, SSH-secured channel, or whatever) that
kind of appearance-agnostic behavior becomes simpler!   The issue
then becomes how hotplug identifes and accesses the channel, and
who will modify what existing daemons.  :)


> > That solution is not in itself sufficient. You might not want everybody
> > to see all hotplug events.
> 
> And what would the problem be with using an event distribution mechanism 
> that would require the listener to have certain privileges?

Another of the goals classic end-user "usability".  Remember that
the original problem was how to fire up an unprivileged tool ... not
all hotplug events imply any need for privilege. Users initiate hotplug
events with just physical access privileges.  When the device software
has already been set up, additional privilege shouldn't be needed.

- Dave