6386 shutdown: I CAN'T BELIEVE at&t was really this stupid!

[Jim Rosenberg]

I'm in the process of configuring the first of several AT&T 6386en to be used
at our remote locations.  In working with our development 6386 it suddenly hit
me one day how incredibly dumb and potentially catastrophic is the following
lovely "feature" of the UNIX V.3.2 shutdown sequence.  Now as you all know, for
remote sites where no one is UNIX knowledgeable, shutdown is a most weighty
matter, and failing to do shutdown correctly is just about GUARANTEED to cause
big-time trouble.  I look over at the screen one day after a shutdown has gone
to completion, and what do I see as the final line on the screen:

Reboot the system now.

Think about it.  Not "You MAY reboot the system now."  Not "You may turn the
power off or reboot the system now."  Oh no.  This is a command.  It says:
"Reboot the system NOW!" [emphasis added].  Now isn't this fun.  You instruct
your users in the religion of shutdown.  They only know about UNIX what you've
told them.  You think you have dynamite menu stuff and shell script stuff and
the whole works.  One day they have to move the machine, so they have to unplug
it.  Like good little campers they go through shutdown.  They are all ready to
hit the power switch, and then they see this stern admonition:  "Reboot the
system now."  "Oh, OK, well the computer TOLD ME to reboot ..."  So they
reboot, chatter with someone else in the office for a minute, then turn the
power off ...

All right, so AT&T flubbed this, no big deal, I'll just edit whatever shell
script has this abortion in it.  I look at /etc/rc0.  Not there.  In
desparation I go through every file in /etc.  Not there.  /etc/rc0.d/*:  same
story.  Finally there is only one place left in all of /dev/universe.  I say
to myself "I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS!" and run strings on /unix.  Yup.  This idiocy
is HARD CODED INTO THE FLIBBING **KERNEL**!!!!

So quick now, all you glorious VARs and systems integrators and other
adventurous souls using the 6386, forward march & adb that kernel -- and the
.o file for making new kernels and ...
-- 
Jim Rosenberg                        pitt
Oglevee Computer Systems                 >--!amanue!oglvee!jr
151 Oglevee Lane                      cgh
Connellsville, PA 15425                                #include <disclaimer.h>