multiseat (was: Re: Input Devices (was: Re: [Xgl/Xegl] Input Devices))

[Waldo Bastian]

On Thursday 28 July 2005 09:21, Daniel Stone wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 28, 2005 at 01:45:49AM -0400, Jon Smirl wrote:
> > On 7/28/05, Daniel Stone <daniel at fooishbar.org> wrote:
> > > On Wed, Jul 27, 2005 at 04:22:42PM -0400, Jon Smirl wrote:
> > > > Different users on each card is easy.
> > >
> > > No, it really isn't.
> >
> > Why?
>
> Input is hard.  How do you associate a particular input device to a
> particular user?  Now imagine the world of USB, where you have to deal
> with hotplug input devices.  Oh, and don't forget real users, who will
> want to do audio, and plug in USB thumbdrives.  If you plug in a
> thumbdrive with your GPG key on it, you don't want someone else to get
> their grubby mitts on it.
>
> VGA routing is a bitch.  If you don't believe me, stick four utterly
> random cards in one machine, start four X servers, and watch it quickly
> collapse in a heap.
>
> That and trying to deal with four separate heads when the VT system only
> has the concept of one.  Anywhere from one to four heads can be present
> on a four-user system, and you have to deal with that accordingly, and
> DTRT with sharing VTs, and what to do when someone hits the console.
>
> It's a surprisingly non-trival problem space, trust me.

Someone documented his experiences here:
http://cambuca.ldhs.cetuc.puc-rio.br/multiuser/

Cheers,
Waldo
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