I'm sorry if this is the wrong list, but the other GGI lists seem to be
largely inactive.
I am interested in security and microkernels, so GGI appeals to me because
I like the idea of small kernel modules that securely multiplex graphics.
However I have some concerns I was not able to answer from the online
documentation.
Firstly, more architectural diagrams please ...
I searched and read lots of pages on GGI before I found Peter Amstutz's
diagrams in the 'OLD' documents section.
I found they helped, almost as much as everything else I read put together.
I think it might help other interested people if architectural diagrams
occurred up front in an introduction
document, then readers know which bits they want to read about.
In particular the FAQ compares GGI to X, to SVGAlib, window managers etc.
Several of these are obviously bogus comparisons (as the FAQ points out)
but I think a couple of diagrams would clear this up much better.
[ 4 in particular: GGI, X, SVGAlib, and GGI on X on GGI ]
The obvious missing comparison was Plan 9's 8.5 which securely virtualises
devices.
And a couple of security questions.
[ Please assume a system in which multiple processes of the same user may
have different security domains ]
1) Can two GGI programs securely share a display ?
Presumably each would have a device whose virtual display was a portion of
the physical display.
1b) If two programs securely share a display, do they do so by giving up
hardware acceleration ?
2) Can I implement a feature like the WinNT logon dialog that comes up in
response to the three fingered salute ?
In security parlance a trusted-path: a user can trust the dialog that comes
up in response to ctrl-alt-delete because
a) kernel catches ctrl-alt-delete before any programs, and
b) no programs can access the window list associated with the login dialog.
Because I don't really have a good grasp on the architecture its possible
Im not asking the right questions ...
TIA
- JonT
---
Jon Tidswell
Advanced OS Technology Group / SawMill Linux Project
IBM TJ Watson Research Center 30 Saw Mill River Road, Hawthorne, N.Y. 10532
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Voice: +1 914 784 7550
http://www.research.ibm.com/sawmill/
