Debian bug report logs - #1558, boring messages

Subject: Bug#1558: xbase contains /dev/:0 -> /dev/console
Reply-To: Ian Jackson <iwj10@cus.cam.ac.uk>, debian-bugs@pixar.com
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Date: Sat, 7 Oct 95 03:27 BST
From: Ian Jackson <iwj10@cus.cam.ac.uk>
To: Debian bugs submission address <debian-bugs@pixar.com>

Package: xbase
Version: 3.1.2-3

-chiark:~> ll /dev/:0
lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     500             7 Sep 20 22:30 /dev/:0 -> console
-chiark:~> dpkg -=search /dev/:0
xbase: /dev/:0
-chiark:~>

I don't know why this was put there, but it breaks `talk'.

When logging in using X the `sessreg' program is used to add a utmp
entry:
-chiark:~> who
ian      :0       Oct  6 13:13
[...]
-chiark:~>

:0 appears in the ut_line field in utmp.

If one then gets a talk request the talk daemon obviously and
correctly tries to see if /dev/:0 is useable.  (Usually the ut_line
field contains `ttyp3' or something similar.)  Unfortunately, because
of the symlink, talk sees that /dev/console is available and uses it.

This means that the talk request message gets sent to the current VC,
which is usually the X VC.  The user hears console-style beeps, but is
unable to find where they are coming from.

Ian.

From: iwj10@thor.cam.ac.uk (Ian Jackson)
To: Ian Jackson <iwj10@cus.cam.ac.uk>
Subject: Bug#1558: Acknowledgement (was: xbase contains /dev/:0 -> /dev/console)
In-Reply-To: <m0t1Oz0-0002cLZ@chiark.al.cl.cam.ac.uk>
References: <m0t1Oz0-0002cLZ@chiark.al.cl.cam.ac.uk>

Thank you for the problem report you have sent regarding Debian GNU/Linux.
This is an automatically generated reply, to let you know your message has
been received.  It is being forwarded to the developers' mailing list for
their attention; they will reply in due course.

As you requested, your message was also forwarded to
   Aldabra Stoddard <pas14@cus.cam.ac.uk>
after having been assigned a bug report number.

If you wish to submit further information on your problem, please send
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Ian Jackson
(maintainer, debian-bugs)