BeOS is a single-user operating system. There is no login mechanism in the operation system. There has even been an application BeLogin to address this. It is generally accepted that making BeOS into a multi-user operating system is a desirable thing.
There are many issues involved in making GE multi-user. Functionality needs to be added and care needs to be taken that usability is not impaired. In particular, it is recognized that the standalone one-user box experience should be relatively unimpaired by the existence of multi-user capability. Also, there should be a smooth transition to multi-user capability at a moments notice.
Multiple users impacts on various parts of the operating system: [terribly incomplete list follows, help!]
- application preferences - including tracker, background, web, sounds, etc.
- file system and program access - including ability to modify, execute, view, etc.
- login/logout procedure - including dynamic user identity changing (like "su", but better of course)
As mentioned elsewhere, the file system largely has access permissions implemented, but not tested. I'm not sure how much security is there for other system resources (semaphores, memory areas, etc). The difficulty is that the user is usually the root user, so all settings get ignored and the code rots. Still, UNIX style permissions are there. We could also go for a more general Access Control List (ACL) method (taking advantage of attributes to store the ACL data), similar to that which is used in Windows NT, and is starting to appear in Linux.
- Alex
In regards to MultiUser support it would be rad to be able to log in as different users in different workspaces. You should then be able to use the GUI as different users depending upon the current workspace. Sort of like "su" but GUI-ized, and on steroids, and with wings flying through the white fluffy clounds and blue, blue skies...er...Someone's probably thought of it before, but just thought I'd throw it out there. Might be kind of tricky to work out though.
Paul J. Stadig
I really like the idea of logging in as different users on different workspaces! That would make some things amazingly easy to do in the event of using OBOS in a server enviroment. Great idea.
- BZ
