VICTIMISE(1) USER COMMANDS VICTIMISE(1)
PENIX OPERATING SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION PENIX
NAME
victimise - optimise system performance
SYNOPSIS
victimse [ - ] adejrstyDS [percentage] [time] [count]
[processid]
DESCRIPTION
victimise is a last-ditch performance optimiser; if there is a
task that requires priority performance, this command can be
used to temporarily increase cpu usage and speed of disk
access, by degrading the performance of an other user, or of
all other users. It can also be used for purposes of revenge,
or as a joke, or to mess with the minds of the users (`wierd,
the system was running great a few minutes ago...' `well, it's
okay over here...' `hang on, it's running again...'). As this
is a potentially powerful command, its use is restricted to the
rooted(c) user and the `games' account. The options can be
grouped into two sorts: those that act on a single other user,
and those that act on a number of other users, in an attempt to
spread the load.
FUNCTIONS
a anyone. This option will select one other currently-
running process and degrade its performance, to the degree
specified in the [percentage] argument. The process is
selected completely at random, and may include the account
that is issuing the command.
d darwinian (single-process mode). This option selects the
one other task on the system that is least likely to be
affected by a serious performance decrease, and does so.
By an algorithm far too arcane to go into in the context
of a simple MAN page, it also chooses the process that is
least likely to be able to hit back, such as anyone logged
in under the `games' account, anyone running a compiler,
or anyone who presses the `help' key on their terminal
more than once every ten minutes.
e everyone. This option de-optimises every other process
currently running, to the sum effect specified in the
[percentage] argument. Each process, regardless of
origin, is decreased equally (excepting the Caenobite
processes, of course. We tried hitting them. But they
hit back harder.)
j jump. This option creates a table of likely victims and
then proceeds to hit each one, successively and at random,
degrading the selected process for the full effect
specified in [percentage], for the time specified in
[time].
r rotation. This option is similar to the `jump' option,
but the processes are hit in turn rather than at random,
for the period specified in [time].
s specific. This option selects the process specified in
[processid] for the full effect of de-optimisation, and is
included for purposes of revenge only.
t temporary. When included, this option specifies that the
optimisation effect should only last for the next n
commands, as specified in the [count] argument, after
which performance will return to normal.
y yourself. This option reduces your own performance, to
the benefit of all the other users on the system. It is
regularly included in the .DoThisBefore file of most
users.
D darwinian (multiple process mode). As specified in the `d'
option, except for more than one user, the load being
spread over the selected tasks Darwinian-ly, i.e. the
weakest tasks copping the most load. This option does
tend to stop some tasks completely until it is finished.
S Statistical. This option seeks the process using the
least resources and de-optimises it to the full effect
specified in [percentage].
EXAMPLES
to optimise the system:
victimise -rt 70 5 2
this will degrade all of the other processes on the system,
to the tune of 70% of their performance, one after the other
at five-second intervals, for the duration of the running of
the next two commands issued to the process performing the
command.
FILES
/typical/who's_who System task table; used by the
aengel Lucifer when compiling the
hit-list table for the `e', `j',
`r' and `D' options.
/uselss/helpcount Counts the number of times each
user presses the `help' key,
expressed as Hits Per Every Ten
Minutes. This count is maintained
as part of the regular system
housekeeping.
/uselss/spew_bucket All mail to the Sysadmin is
directed into this while the
victimise command is in use, since
they are invariably flames of a
highly derogatory and personal
nature. It saves the Sysadmins
doing it themselves.
SEE ALSO
bollx(1), crp(2), argle_bargle(3), roflgo(4), woof(5),
kill(3), mangle(2), castrate(2), knacker(1), beg(2), plead(3),
threaten_with_extreme_violence(1), submit(2).
BUGS
If the `temporary' flag is used, any daemons, maenads, goelems,
etc., spawned while the optimisation is in effect will retain
this `blessed' state until they die of their own accord, or
until the Sysadmin does something about it.
The n option would be slow, but this function doesn't have one.
Due to a bug in the randomisation algorithm, it is possible,
when using the `jump' option, that the same task may be
selected for de-optimisation twenty-three successive times.
this is expected to be rectified at the next revision of the
operating system. No, really. Leo Schwab is going to write a
good randomiser for us.
The e option can be slow.
The `multiple Darwinian' function can completely stop some less
important tasks, but it does seem to have a preference for
anyone using the `wi' editor, with the result that screen
updates can be so slow as to be nonexistant.
There is no way to follow, selectively, symbolic links. And
unless there's a turnaround in the economy soon, there probably
won't be.
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Sunburne Computer, Inc. 17 August 1992
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