Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!asuvax!mcdphx!mcdchg!ddsw1!nvk
From: nvk@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Norman Kohn)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.i386
Subject: Re: Lotus for sysV (multi-user?)
Summary: hacks to limit users
Message-ID: <1990Aug16.161501.18554@ddsw1.MCS.COM>
Date: 16 Aug 90 16:15:01 GMT
References: <797@hades.ausonics.oz.au> <1940@cybaswan.UUCP> <279@prosun.first.gmd.de> <566@bohra.cpg.oz>
Reply-To: nvk@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Norman Kohn)
Organization: ddsw1.MCS.COM Contributor, Wheeling, IL
Lines: 24

Lotus is advertising a system V version.  I called and was told that
it's available now; list prices around $950 single-user,
and $1100 for up to 10 users.  A clear example of pricing
to reflect "value" rather than cost; but how do you suppose 
they limit the number of simultaneous users?

1) do it in the code itself: very difficult with shared text and
virtual memory

2) create lock files.  Hackable by wrapping lotus in a shell that does
chroot

3) look at process table.  Hackable by linking new names, or renaming lotus;
but of course lotus could prevent renaming itself by looking at argv[0]

Anybody know of another way?

DISCLAIMER: I HAVEN'T SEEN LOTUS OR TRIED (2) ABOVE


-- 
Norman Kohn   		| ...ddsw1!nvk
Chicago, Il.		| days/ans svc: (312) 650-6840
			| eves: (312) 373-0564