Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!cc.utah.edu!inel.gov!tws1!dob From: dob@tws1.Berkeley.EDU (David L. Brooks) Newsgroups: comp.windows.x Subject: Re: Spy X Window Message-ID: <1990Jul17.140940.10553@inel.gov> Date: 17 Jul 90 14:09:40 GMT References: <194@melpar.UUCP> <9070003@hpavla.AVO.HP.COM> Sender: news@inel.gov Reply-To: dob@tws1.Berkeley.EDU (David L. Brooks) Organization: Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho Lines: 93 In article <9070003@hpavla.AVO.HP.COM>, almquist@hpavla.AVO.HP.COM (Mike Almquist) writes: |>> I need some X help. |>> |>> I want to "monitor" a window on another machine from my machine. |>> I have source for all software running but would rather not modify any of it. |>> I have full control of unix permissions etc. |>> |>> Ideally I'd like to tell the server on the other machine to duplicate the |>> window on my display. I need no control over the "copied" window but I would |>> watch what someone else was doing and see all updates to this window. It would |>> be teacher/student type situation where the teacher can spy on the students |>> progress/work habits. |>> |>> Perhaps I'll need an application that can decode names into window IDs on |>> the other machine--that would be fine. |>> |>> Any hints or solutions would are appreciated. |>> Thanks |>> |>> Jim Hopkins uunet!melpar!jim |>> ---------- |> |>Is this ethical? Is there a good reason for doing this? I'd be majorly pissed |>off if someone was watching me - even more so if I didn't even know I was being |>watched. What is the reason for the Big Brother attitude? Did you see the |>articles about the situation at PSU between some users and their system |>administrators? If not, you should take a look at it. How is this tool going |>to be useful to you? Why don't you ASK the students about their progress and |>work habits? X is a good program, don't make people paranoid so that next |>versions of X will be more restrictive but secure. Use tools, don't abuse them. |> |>- Mike Almquist, Sys. Admin |> HP, Avondale, PA Over a year ago, i had a serious request from my customer for exactly this type of functionality. they had planned to use it as a sort of "expert assistance" tool, and they were quite serious about their perceived need. I can't comment on the circumstances the users would typically find themselves in, but suffice to say that if your "expert" was not already very close by, there was no chance that they could be in the forseeable future [think "defense"]. So, on the one hand, i have some sympathy for the original poster. btw, my answer to the customer at the time was that it would take some time to investigate, and they backed off. However, Mr. Almquist raises some very good points: i don't want anyone peering over my windows, either! I'm not familiar with the reference he sites, but i've read of management tools that measure keystrokes vs. time, and i'm dead set against supporting anything like that. my question: is it possible that we can reach an agreeable compromise, where the student a) requests help, b) selects the window or windows they wish to be "transmitted" to their instructor, and c) generally exercises a high degree of control over the process? meanwhile, the instructor/helper is mostly an observer, whose main interaction would be to type text into a window that would then be echoed in real time on the student's screen (assuming a telephone was not more convenient). can we see some possibilities for long range customer support? for system administrators assisting users without running/driving/flying around? my disclaimer: fellow netters, the disclaimer following my address was added by lawyers. at least they let us post now... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ David L. Brooks Idaho National Engineering Lab. INTERNET: dob@INEL.GOV POB 1625 M.S. 1206 Phone: (208) 526-0826 Idaho Falls, Id. 83415 FAX: (208) 526-1419 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Neither the United States Government nor the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government nor the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.