Newbe Question: Actually two questions ?

[Ben Pfaff]

"Marcel Kunath" <kunathma@pilot.msu.edu> writes:

> What actually was the problem with the machine? =) From my viewpoint it seemed
> to run just fine. haha
> 
> Seriously what precise problem was there? What had the guy done so it needed
> this special care?

I thought that he'd explained it pretty well in the intro, but
here goes: the machine's dynamic libc was screwed up (missing
link), all programs were linked dynamically, and he couldn't
reboot.  So all he could do was run shell commands.  And just
from that he managed to create a program to make the links he
needed.  He hacked up programs in x86 machine code with ELF
headers, and he didn't even look at an opcode reference manual or
a description of ELF.  My God, it would take me probably an hour
just to figure out how the heck to write ELF headers *with* a
reference manual, and I'd definitely have to go dig out my x86
opcode manual; I can only remember about three opcodes without
one.
-- 
"A computer is a state machine. 
 Threads are for people who cant [sic] program state machines."
--Alan Cox