Qualification of console was Re: More "Log-On" related questions

[Janina Sajka]

Hi, Kenny:

Well, you may be right, though I don't think so. See definition below.

Still, language is constantly evolving, and it may be prudent and useful
for us to speak of text and/or graphical consoles. Here's what I get
from dict:


>From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  console

          1. The operator's station of a {mainframe}.  In times past,
          this was a privileged location that conveyed godlike powers to
          anyone with fingers on its keys.  Under {Unix} and other
          modern {time-sharing} {operating system}s, such privileges are
          guarded by passwords instead, and the console is just the
          {tty} the system was booted from.  Some of the mystique
          remains, however, and it is traditional for {sysadmin}s to
          post urgent messages to all users from the console (on Unix,
          /dev/console).

          2. On {microcomputer} {Unix} boxes, the main screen and
          keyboard (as opposed to character-only terminals talking to a
          {serial port}).  Typically only the console can do real
          graphics or run {X}.  See also {CTY}.

				Janina