Debian bug report logs - #1558
xbase contains /dev/:0 -> /dev/console

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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>
X-Debian-Cc: Aldabra Stoddard <pas14@cus.cam.ac.uk>
Subject: xbase contains /dev/:0 -> /dev/console

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.