>Yes, and you can arrange for that process to run with a higher limit.
   
   Ahah, I see part of the problem is you don't know what the word "fixed"
   means :-).
   
   
   >The problem at the moment is that it is possible for any user to write
   >a program that uses all the files.  This just shouldn't be allowed.
   
   No, acutally it *should* be allowed. Being able to configure systems
   into that particular corner is a desirable *feature*, if that's what
   you acutally want to do.  Sharp tools for careful expert users, and all that.


the tools are already provided.  use login.conf or some other method
to raise the hard limit.  surely if you understood resource limits
you'd know what david meant by "fixed".  it certainly was clear to
me and a valid use of the word "fixed".

i think this would be a good change.  as david said, currently any
local user can DoS your system via fd's.  infact, i've done it to myself
accidentally a few times.  i've never *wanted* 4000 open files in my 
process, but it caused my system to lose anyway... if the default hard
limit for fd's was not the max number of fd's available, this wouldn't
happen.  if i *do* need 4000 or 10000 or whatever open files it's very
easy to arrange for my user to have that.

(BTW, i wouldn't object to the default rlim_cur for open fd's being
increased from 64 to 128.)



.mrg.