Re: [PATCH] kill(-1,sig)

[Simon Kirby]

On Fri, Dec 14, 2001 at 12:40:16PM -0800, Linus Torvalds wrote:

> I do agree, I've used "kill -9 -1" myself.
> 
> However, let's see how problematic it is to try to follow it (in 2.5.x,
> not 2.4.x) and if people really complain.

Doesn't init use kill -15 -1, kill -9 -1, etc., to terminate all
processes?  Hmm.  Yes, it does, but the kernel checks for (pid > 1).

By removing the single compare in the kernel, we're potentially
increasing the size of userspace applications from a single syscall to a
whole walking of /proc just to kill other running processes.  Ugh.

"kill -STOP -1" is also great for freezing forkbombs which would no
longer possible with the /proc method.

Simon-

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