Re: ps - complete username
On Thu, Mar 11, 2004 at 12:40:10PM -0600, Kent West wrote:
> s. keeling wrote:
>
> >Incoming from VEGH Karoly:
> >
> >
> >>s. keeling wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>Incoming from VEGH Karoly:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>pls CC: me, I'm currently offlist.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>Check the archives then.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>wow, friendly.
No, as in point your web browser at lists.debian.org, then you don't
miss anyone who posts more info and doesn't CC you (someone coming in to
the middle of the thread may not even see your request to CC).
<snip>
> >>>>tomcat- 14137 0.2 0.9 236668 30688 pts/0 S 14:37 0:04
> >>>>/opt/java/cur
> >>>>
> >>>>I would like to see the complete username in the ps output.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>Looking at the ps manpage, I can see a number of ways to get that.
> >>>Select processes by (E)UID, change the output format, ...
> >>>
> >>>
> >>hey man, wtf you think I did up to now?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Do you know the difference between a username and a UID?
> >
> > 1) Read carefully.
> >
> > 2) Think. What you perceive to be null content MAY actually be your
> > answer.
> >
> > 3) You're welcome.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> I _should_ stay out of this . . . .
>
> /Rant
>
> When I first saw the response to the original poster's question, I too
> thought, "Wow! Not very customer-service oriented, is he?" (Of course, I
> realize that this list does not have "Friendly and Helpful Customer
> Service" as its mission, but still, friendly and helpful customer
> service is one way of evangelizing Debian.)
>
> I also thought, "Why doesn't he just give the answer? I'd like the
> answer too."
>
> I even took the time to casually browse "man ps", but since it was mere
> curiosity to know how to do this rather than a need to do so, I quickly
> gave up on it. Wouldn't it have been nice though (and perhaps for other
> lurkers also) to have seen the answer in the reply, so that at least two
> of us would have gotten an education (yes, I know; you're trying to
> educate the original poster to do his own research -- give a man a fish
> yada yada).
Instead of thinking of it as hostile (I didn't see it that way), think
of it as a pointer in the right direction. I.e. the info *is* in the man
page, read carefully.
> I normally don't get in a tizzy about such postings, but somehow today,
> this is just offensive. This list, although not a "Friendly and Helpful
> Customer Service desk", should be a place to help other users, not
> offend them and insult their intelligence and prod them along by giving
> cryptic hints so that they can figure it out themselves.
I don't consider "read carefully" cryptic. It is also appropriate to
"read carefully" and come back to the list with, "Okay I read carefully,
but I'm still missing it. Could you give me an example?"
>
> I urge members of this list to adopt a "Customer Service" attitude. Yes,
> the same questions get asked over and over, and yes, some questioners
Keep in mind, one can *always* purchase customer support from
knowledgeable people. Then I would agree one has higher level of
expectations regarding service. People new to Debian/Linux are also
*strongly* encouraged to check out linux user groups in their area
(probably any university will have one).
Not to be insulting or rude, but I don't know off hand the web page for
looking up LUGs (Linux User Groups), so try Google. :)
> are obviously not bright enough to run Debian, and yes, it takes more
> work on your part, but that's no excuse not to be friendly and courteous
> and helpful. Be an adult!
I could choose to take that as an insult, but I choose not to. (I'm in a
pretty good mood today:) Besides, I'm commenting inside your <rant>.
>
> For example, instead of saying "Check the archives then", I believe a
> better response would have been something like "No offense intended, but
> the more proper behavior is for you to conform to the standard practice
> of checking the archives in a situation like this rather than expecting
> this list to conform to your wishes. You can find the March archives at
> "http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2004/debian-user-200403/threads.html";.
>
> Yes, it takes more work on your part, but it sure makes Debian look
> better than the terse response does.
Also, remember that the first few times reading man pages, references,
etc. will be harder. Soon you will become more accustomed to how things
are written, and get more familiar with the terminology.
>
> And a better response about the actual question would have been
> something like this:
>
> >According to "man ps", the "foo" option is what you want, something like:
> > ps -foo -bar
According to "man ps":
NOTES
User-defined format options ("o", "-o", "O", and "-O") offer a way to
specify individual output columns. Headers may be renamed ("ps -o
pid,ruser=RealUser -o comm=Command") as desired. If all column headers
are empty ("ps -o pid= -o comm=") then the header line will not be
output. Column width will increase as needed for wide headers; this may
be used to widen up columns such as WCHAN ("ps -o pid,wchan=WIDE-WCHAN-
COLUMN -o comm"). Explicit width control ("ps opid,wchan:42,cmd") is
offered too. The behavior of "ps -o pid=X,comm=Y" varies with
personality;
...
So I try "ps -oruser:30 -U chris" and I get:
RUSER
chris
chris
chris
Hmmm. Not quite right. But the man says something about "O" being a
preloaded "o" so...
I try "ps -Oruser:30 -U chris" and I get:
PID RUSER S TTY TIME COMMAND
19044 chris S pts/0 00:00:00 mutt
20705 chris S pts/0 00:00:00 /bin/bash -c (ps -Oruser:30 -U chris) < /tmp/v54093/8 >/tmp/v54093/9 2>&1
20706 chris R pts/0 00:00:00 ps -Oruser:30 -U chris
>
> It doesn't require much more work, still informs the OP that the
^^^^
That assumes the person had the time to give. Maybe s/he was just off
to a meeting, but popped off a quick reply to try to help?
> information he wanted was indeed in the man page, makes him happy, makes
> lurkers such as myself happy, and increases the overall level/quality of
> Debian documentation (by the example being archived).
I understand that sometimes people are rude. (Have you never been
rude?) That doesn't mean the recipient of the rudeness can't reply
with something along the line of "I wasn't trying to be annoying,
I have been trying to work this out, I looked at your reference
but I'm still unable to understand it, etc., but I still need help."
In general, asking again *politely* (and acknowledging that you did
*try* to understand the response), works well. And keep in mind
sometimes individuals burn out on a topic they have seen 100 times. This
is often the source of rudeness, remember that.
HTH
--
Chris Harris <charris@rtcmarketing.com>
-------------------------------------------
GNU/Linux --- The best things in life are free.
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