Using sysctl the Command and the Subroutine

AntiBasic writes "OutRider Computing Journal has a nice, albeit short, overview of both sysctl(8) and sysctl(3) under BSD systems. It has some examples using the sysctl command as well as examples with sample code on using the sysctl subroutines."

so what?

[jojo80]

The man pages are a hell of a lot better than that article... much more informative. They, too, have code samples.
That looks more like a "pheew...it was about time for another bsd-article" story.

nik, nik, nik

[niekze]

Our BSD brother: This article is rather small and is really not very informative. I so find it rather strange that (if i hear right) NetBSD pioneered USB on the *nix systems, but there is no documentation for using these devices once they are detected and such. Even the linux printing website (http://www.linuxprinting.org) and the latest printing howto (on the page) doesn't have any documentation on USB printers. But the sysctl article and printer documentation are similar in that they both have information for those with very little knowledge and some advanced information for those with heavy experience. I wish documention would have a middle ground. Once you've mastered the basics, you have no where to really go. I know im ranting, but i'm sure some people would agree. If i ever get this USB printer to print, I'll be sure to document it. right now it just freezes my box when i try to use it. :(

oh yea, why didn't the page document the sysctl.conf and explain some of the options in it? Like mentioning machdep.allowaperture=1 is needed for X as well as other options inside. I can't even FIND documentation for what fs.posix.setuid=0 does. (im using OpenBSD btw)

Re:nik, nik, nik

[Anonymous Coward]

Regarding the function of fs.posix.setuid -- the man page (man sysctl) says: "To make the chown(2) system call use traditional BSD semantics (don't clear setuid/setgid bits) .. You must have overlooked it.