update-motd python daemon [was: [ubuntu/karmic] update-motd 2.0-0ubuntu1 (Accepted)]

[Steve Langasek]

On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 08:14:48AM +0200, Martin Pitt wrote:
> Hello,

> Dustin Kirkland [2009-07-12 22:40 -0000]:
> >     - rewrite update-motd as a python daemon, rather than a series of
> >       difficult-to-manage cronjobs

> Hm, in terms of startup costs, memory/RAM usage, and cost/benefit
> ratio of used resources vs. output, a permanently running Python
> daemon for modifying a text file every now and then is magnitudes
> worse than some cron jobs IMHO.

> Instead of imposing this cost on everyone, could this not just become
> an "optional" PAM module, which updates motd whenever someone actually
> logs into the machine?

Better than "a PAM module" would be to integrate it with the pam_motd we use
for displaying the motd in the first place.

-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer                                    http://www.debian.org/
slangasek at ubuntu.com                                     vorlon at debian.org