[mdlug] OT: KISS! Was: Run script on file arrival

[Stan Green]

On Tuesday 01 March 2011 01:55:51 pm Aaron Kulkis wrote:
> > OK, so this is a side topic.
> >
> > I would not what the user to have to interact with the script. They have
> > a hard enough time with the concept of logging off! (They are always
> > trying to shutdown!)
>
> You might want to write a wrapper program in C which does
> sudo to the desired username and runs the desired shellscript.
> [This, of course, would be installed on the remote system,
> not on the user's computer, and also edit /etc/sudoers on
> the remote computer appropriately.]
This is not a bad idea. I've never done so, but it might be worth looking into. 
The one down side is the concept of isolation. I'm not sure I what the client 
to have to know what script to run on the server. This make it harder to 
maintain the client if I what to run a different script someday. 
>
>
> Q:  Why is the user in question misbehaving by trying to shut down?
> What's going on with management/supervision that they are not
> taking any corrective action?
>
I am the team lead! They are only confused as they are used to shutting down 
Windows when they are done. I have it set up so the system shutdown when the 
background task are done. It is just a leaning curve and I try to keep it as 
flat as I can. 
> > With ssh, to keep the user from interacting with the script,  wouldn't I
> > need to put the user's password in the script?
>
> No.  Big security hole.
>
> > I've seen many different ways to handle
> > this, but I have never been 100% happy with any of them. Is there a "best
> > practice" for putting passwords in scripts.
>
> Either use sudo, or the user will have to BEHAVE LIKE
> A RESPONSIBLE ADULT WHO EARNS THEIR PAY, and type in
> their own password.
You assume my team is paid, which is an invalid assumption. They are 100% 
volunteers.  I simply don't want them to interact with scripts. They enter 
their password when they login to the system. They have a job to do and they do 
it well.  I do my best to not complicate it. I have made it 50% simpler by 
going to Linux, because we have the power of scripts. I'm not gong back to a 
complicated process. Then I might as well go back to Windows.
>
> If they can't handle this, then seriously, what other
> basic work tasks are they also screwing up?
None. They are all talented people who do a wonderful job. They are just not 
deep technical people. Which is 100% fine with me as I want people do focus on 
what they are good at and not what they are not good at. This is why I do 90% 
of the deep technical stuff for the team.