proposed list of parameter to remove in 3.0.23

[Richard Bollinger]

On 5/12/06, Gerald (Jerry) Carter <jerry at samba.org> wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Richard Bollinger wrote:
> > On 5/11/06, Gerald (Jerry) Carter <jerry at samba.org> wrote:
> >> ...
> >>        magic script
> >>        magic output
> >
> > We use magic script & magic output with some local patches that make
> > them somewhat more useful / secure in our environment.
> >
> > Rich B
>
> I think these two parameters (if anyone wanted them) would
> be better implemented as a VFS module.  I'd like to get the
> out of the core code.  Out of curiousity, what do you
> them for?  You're the first person I've ever run across
> that admitted to using them.
> cheers, jerry
We use "magic" as a means of running Unix scripts/programs from
Windows clients, so that our command line challanged users can run
Fortran and Cobol programs under the control of VB front ends.  It
works quite nicely, with the script automatically running under the
userid of the connected user.  We probably have a dozen or more such
applications running in production.  Its a bit more secure than rsh
and a heck of a lot easier to lash up than an ssh based solution.

I'd happily test a VFS based alternative, but writing one from scratch
seems quite daunting.  My impression was that VFS *also* has few real
users and is potentially subject to radical change or removal at any
time, so I've been reluctant to step there.

Can someone point to an appropriate example VFS module and current
documentation (and some assurance that the effort will be worthwhile)?

P.S.  I've looked at the existing "magic" implementation and it
amounts to less than a page of code.  Easy for me to say, but I wonder
if keeping it around is such a burden.