BeLogin documentation

  • What is BeLogin?
  • How does BeLogin work?
  • BeLogin caveats
  • System requirements
  • Installation instructions
  • Using BeLoginSettings
  • Additional information
  • 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 does not set the user logged in - this is being looked into, but depending on some factors might not be
    included (a lot of programs are not aware of multiple users).
    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 includes a binary for Intel x86 and compatible processors. It should compile on PPC though.

    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/bin/x86/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). These may be removed with the
    Remove sound events script
    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 - please send a better :) .
    BeLogin is distributed under the Gnu General Public License, which is included in the package.

    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 history of Belogin top

    Ver 1.3.2
fix:    Fixed a small bug where editing a user or adding a new user compared the two passwords
        case insensitive - by Brian Matzon [brian@matzon.dk]
change: Algorithm used to save the password has been changed to a more secure (MD5) - by Brian Matzon [brian@matzon.dk]
change: Changed the application vendor tag from Matzon to BeLogin - by Brian Matzon [brian@matzon.dk]
change: Changed the settings directory from ~/config/Matzon/BeLogin to ~/config/BeLogin - by Brian Matzon [brian@matzon.dk]

Ver 1.3.1
fix:    Notification of invalid logins is now done asynchronously. (Previously one could open 
        the Team Monitor during the long pause) - by Vitaliy Mikitchenko [vitviper@bemail.org]
change: BeLogin is now distributed under the Gnu General Public License


Ver 1.3
change: BeLogin (and BeLoginSettings) is now distributed with source. I do not have the time
        to continue development of BeLogin and will therefore release it to the public.
        Since the (simple) encryption rutine is visible in the source, expect some lamer
        to relase a small proggy to crack passwords.
        I would like to keep BeLogin on my site, and not have millions of clones around to annoy
        the end user. I therefore hope that any modifications to the code is submitted back to
        me (credits will be given!).

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

    BeLogin is now hosted on SourceForge, so please go to the messageboard at http://www.sourceforge.org/projects/belogin/ and post away :)

    Legal Disclaimer top

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

    BeLogin and BeLoginSettings are covered by the Gnu General Public License.