BeLogin documentation


  • What is BeLogin?
  • How does BeLogin work?
  • BeLogin caveats
  • System requirements
  • Installation instructions
  • Using BeLoginSettings
  • Additional information
  • The future of BeLogin
  • The history of Belogin
  • Contacting the author
  • Legal disclaimer

  • What is BeLogin? top

    BeLogin is an application for limiting access to your BeOS installation.

    How does BeLogin work? top

    BeLogin tries to mimic the login process as seen in Windows or Un*x (and others).
    BeLogin works by making certain that no program (besides those specified) will be run until a correct
    username and password combination has been entered.
    When BeLogin is launched it will bring down the applications which are specified in its Blocked list (usually
    Deskbar, Tracker and Terminal). BeLogin will then displays its Login window. While this Login window is shown
    all application launches are terminated, unless they have been explicitely specified in BeLogins Runnable list
    When a correct username/password combination has been entered BeLogin shuts down, and executes a script. This script
    should contain the applications that needs to be executed upon a valid login (usually Deskbar and Tracker).

    BeLogin caveats top

    An ordinary Login program, would block all programs at bootup (before any programs are run at all)
    but that would have to be supported at kernel-level (read: Be needs to implement it).
    BeLogin uses the methods supplied by BeOS to detect application launches. These methods only tell when an ordinary
    application is launched and not any of the supplied commandline applications.


    System Requirements top

    BeLogin requires BeOS Release 5 as a minimum. It has only been tested on this version.
    This release of BeLogin only supports x86 processors.

    Installation instructions top

    1. Extract the BeLogin zip file into your application directory (usually /apps/)
    2. Run the BeLoginSettings program to setup Belogin. Use "Administrator" as password (do change the password)
    3. Add BeLogin to your BootScript (located in /boot/home/config/boot/)

       ie. /apps/BeLogin/BeLogin &

      note: If you have other applications in you bootscript (ie. Pulse) either add the to BeLogins bootscript or add them to
      the Runnable list. (In the case of Pulse, this would be irrelevant since the Deskbar is shutdown).


    4. Restart BeOS to see that it is actually working! As you will propably notice both Deskbar and Tracker is launched
      which could enable a fast user to do unwanted stuff. To stop this from happening you need to edit the
      system bootscript (/boot/beos/system/boot/Bootscript). You need to stop the execution of Tracker, the Deskbar
      and/or Terminal. Scroll 3/5 down and find the following lines:

    
    if launch beos/system/Tracker	# start the Tracker
    then
    	launch beos/apps/Terminal	# no Tracker? try Terminal
    fi
    
    sleep 1
    
    launch beos/system/Deskbar		# launch DeskBar
    
    and add a # before each line, thus becoming:
    
    #if launch beos/system/Tracker	# start the Tracker
    #then
    #	launch beos/apps/Terminal	# no Tracker? try Terminal
    #fi
    #
    #sleep 1
    #
    #launch beos/system/Deskbar		# launch DeskBar
    
    5. Done! That wasn't so hard was it? (if you actually think it was, please write me since I would really like
      to know if people find the installation of BeLogin tricky)

    Additional information top

    BeLogin adds two new sound events to your system (Valid Login, Invalid Login). I have yet to find a way
    to remove them again.... *ponder*
    BeLogin uses simple encryption to store information (in other words don't protect your deepest secrets
    with BeLogin!)
    Belogin has NO backdoors. If you loose you password you can bypass BeLogin, by installing another version
    of BeOS and booting that to remove BeLogin from the System Bootscript.
    Yes... The icon is awfull.

    Using BeLoginSettings top

    The user section should be relatively self explanitory (Mail me if you don't think so).
    The Blocked and Runnable views is quite simple to use. Just drag any application into
    the list and they will be added.
    You can also type in your own mime type for an application. If you press the add button while not having
    modified the mimetype line, an "Open file" panel will be shown. Double click an application in the list to remove
    it.

    The future of BeLogin top

    Many have talked about setting the uid to the person logged in, but I there doesn't seem to be anyway of
    doing this programmatically, and frankfully I would be treading in very unsafe waters.
    I have thought of showing the actual application name instead of the mimetype in the
    Blocked and Runnable list, but unless people *really* wants it I'm not
    going to pursue it.
    As for my needs for Belogin, they're more than satisfied (I don't even need multiple users :) ).
    So it is up to you to send me any wishes you have to BeLogin. But be realistic!
    For the record: BeLogin & BeLoginSettings will always be freeware. The reason for this is that I can't see
    BeLogin being used when true multiple users is supported directly in BeOS. And I haven't got the slightest
    clue as to when this is going to happen. Thus it would be unfair if you just bought BeLogin moments before
    the release with multiple users were released by Be.
    btw: I still haven't got 10 votes on BeBits... :( So go there now and vote!

    The history of Belogin top

    Ver 1.2
    add:	The Screensaver is now allowed to run as default (or technically the SceenBlanker)
    add:	The username is now passed as an argument to the login script. (i.e. alert $1)
    fix:    Fixed a silly bug, that said 'Program is allowed to run' when a program on the  
            Runnable list was executed Duh!
    
    Ver 1.1
    add: 	I have reenabled the Team Monitor quitting. Many thanks to Dianne Kyra Hackborn
    	for the needed info.
    fix:	Better readme/documentation.
    info:	I have decided that it is time to take BeLogin and BeLoginSettings out of beta.
    	I have only had complaints about the Team Monitor rutines, which I too found buggy.
    
    Ver 1.0.3b
    rem:	I have removed the termination of the Team Monitor, since it is *VERY* buggy.
    	I will try and fix it as soon as possible but since it is a hack I cannot guarentee
    	that I will get it up and running again..,
    fix:	While debugging I turned of the termination of applications on the Blocked list.
    	This has been reenabled.
    
    Ver 1.0.2b
    add:	BeLogin now terminates the Team Monitor. Due to some technicalities pressing
    	CTRL + ALT + DEL the second time, causes BeOS to reboot.
    add:	BeLogin now sleeps for Attempts^2 seconds for every invalid login.
    
    Ver 1.0.1b
    fix:	BeLoginSettings now traverses Symlinks 
    add:	BeLoginSettings now accepts multiple dropped/selected files.
    
    Ver. 1.0b
    *Puff*
    

    Contacting the author top

    Please send *ANY* comments about BeLogin to brian@matzon.dk
    flames, comments, congrats or whatever are all welcome... :)

    Legal Disclaimer top

    BeLogin & BeloginSettings are Copyright (C) 2000 Brian Matzon [brian@matzon.dk]. All Rights Reserved.

    THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
    THE WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT
    SHALL BRIAN MATZON BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
    TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS
    IN THE SOFTWARE.