Editing 686: Admin Mourning
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | The background images show the output from the <code>ps</code> command of Unix-like computer systems, which lists all running processes including all interactive users logged in to the server. If a user | + | The background images show the output from the <code>ps</code> command of old fashioned Unix-like computer systems, which lists all running processes including all interactive users logged in to the server. If a user does not log out, their processes would continue to run until stopped by a reboot. If some specific user dies while logged in, the running sessions still appear in the <code>ps</code> output and be a reminder to other users. This comic depicts an administrator unwilling to reboot a machine that has still running processes from a deceased user named "sam". |
− | When a session is closed its | + | When a session is closed its associated processes are terminated. The popular utility [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Screen screen] enables a user to detach and reattach console output, thus surviving over sessions. |
− | The final joke refers to the command line interface being called a {{w|Shell (computing)|shell}}, and to a particular type of shell called | + | The final joke refers to the command line interface being called a {{w|Shell (computing)|shell}}, and to a particular type of shell called zshell (<code>/bin/zsh</code> in the final panel), making a [[wikt:ze#Etymology 1|pun]] with the expression "{{w|Ghost in the Shell}}", which is the title of a popular manga series, originally derived from the expression "{{w|ghost in the machine}}", used by philosopher {{w|Gilbert Ryle}} to describe Descartes' theory of mind-body dualism. |
− | + | "su to the user" refers to use the ability of an administrator — i.e. root or admin user — to switch to another user account (using the {{w|su (Unix)|<code>su</code> command}}) without needing the target user's password, as would normally be necessary, which in this case would give the impression that sam's ghost were using the account. | |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[The text is over a white-on-black terminal showing a bit of output from ps -el | + | :[The text is over a white-on-black terminal showing a bit of output from ps -el, with processes running from root and sam.] |
:When a user dies, their connections time out, | :When a user dies, their connections time out, | ||
:but their screen sessions linger. | :but their screen sessions linger. | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Computers]] | [[Category:Computers]] | ||
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