This annoying message seems to be associated with the times
when <cr> won't run mc-selected executables.
The error mesg. is in that case something about 'shell is
already running'.

Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery
subsystem - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially usefull
for debugging purtposes.
I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box; so where's the mail being
sent from ?
Can/should I disable this stuff ?
Does the file 'roll-over' or fill up to infinity ?

Thanks for any info,

== Chris Glur.

It's mail from your own computer to let you know about stuff happening.
You'll want to scan through the mail to see if there's anything
important (use pine or some other text mode mail reader). Yes, it will
fill up to infinity.

--
Ross

news@absamail.co.za wrote:
> This annoying message seems to be associated with the times
> when <cr> won't run mc-selected executables.
> The error mesg. is in that case something about 'shell is
> already running'.
>
> Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery
> subsystem - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially usefull
> for debugging purtposes.
> I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box; so where's the mail being
> sent from ?
> Can/should I disable this stuff ?
> Does the file 'roll-over' or fill up to infinity ?
>
> Thanks for any info,
>
> == Chris Glur.

On Apr 5, 12:46 pm, n...@absamail.co.za wrote:
> This annoying message seems to be associated with the times
> when <cr> won't run mc-selected executables.
> The error mesg. is in that case something about 'shell is
> already running'.
>
> Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery
> subsystem - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially usefull
> for debugging purtposes.
> I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box;

Did you say "Fedora Core 1" (FC1)? Just a reminder that
alt.os.linux.SLACKWARE has nothing to do with Fedora Core 1

> so where's the mail being sent from ?

Your own box is sending it. Probably mc is sending it when it cant run
whatever you selected.

> Can/should I disable this stuff ?

You can disable it. It is up to you if you /should/ disable it. Is the
information useful to you?

> Does the file 'roll-over' or fill up to infinity ?

Neither. You'll continue to acquire mail until your mail spool fills
up, then you will not be able to acquire any more mail. And, since the
mail spool will be full, no other user will be able to acquire mail
either.

> Thanks for any info,
>
> == Chris Glur.

On Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:46:52 -0500, news wrote:

> This annoying message seems to be associated with the times when <cr>
> won't run mc-selected executables. The error mesg. is in that case
> something about 'shell is already running'.

The system (yours) just sent you a warning note about something
you did that looked funny or illegal frome the point of view of
the system logic.

>
> Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery subsystem
> - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially usefull for debugging
> purtposes.

That's the default posting address from the system (short explain.).

> I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box; so where's the mail being sent
> from ?

From itself. You could do it as well in scripts, a
recurrent script like 'cron' use this ability (if you don't
tell it otherwise with a redir)

You don't need an external cnx to have mail.
To check this idea just try this (as root or sudo) :

# date | /usr/lib/sendmail -f 'tag@youreit' root


> Can/should I disable this stuff ?

Yes(sort of)/No

> Does the file 'roll-over' or fill up to infinity ?

The file? /var/mail/root you mean ?
It's a file, let it rot and you'll have to know your filesys limits,
anyway, you can remove your mails with your email client.
the basic one being 'mail', I recommend 'pine' but as you
seem a bit "fresh bubble" you may find it has a learning helterskelter.

>
> Thanks for any info,

Now press 'any key' ;-)

On Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:46:52 -0500
news@absamail.co.za wrote:

> This annoying message seems to be associated with the times
> when <cr> won't run mc-selected executables.
> The error mesg. is in that case something about 'shell is
> already running'.
>
> Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery
> subsystem - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially
> usefull
> for debugging purtposes.
> I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box; so where's the mail
> being sent from ?

Start by checking your cron jobs and/or 'at' jobs, if any:

/var/spool/crontabs/cron/crontabs/[root|nobody|etc...]

dispatched from your /etc/cron.hourly, .daily, etc...

TonyB


There are 10 types of people in this world, those that read
binary and those who don't!

--
__ __ _ I N C. http://www.sysdev.org
/ __|\\// __|| \ __ __ / tonyb@sysdev.org
\__ \ \/\__ \||)|/ O_)\/ / \/ System Tools / Utilities
|___/ || ___/|_ /\___|\_/ WIntel / Linux Device Drivers

news@absamail.co.za writes:

>This annoying message seems to be associated with the times
>when <cr> won't run mc-selected executables.

What is <cr>?

>The error mesg. is in that case something about 'shell is
>already running'.

If you run a command in cron and do not redirect stdout and stderr, they
will be mailed to whoever runs cron. If that mail bounces then your mailer
will also send back a message saying there are problems.
Fix the problem. Do not fix the symptom.



>Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery
>subsystem - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially usefull

It is the file where mail for root is directed, just as
var/spool/mail/yourname is where mail for user yourname is stored.
Read the mail and act on it.

>for debugging purtposes.
>I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box; so where's the mail being
>sent from ?

Your own system.

>Can/should I disable this stuff ?

Why would you want to disable something which tells you that you have
screwed up. Like Bush that will simply land you in even deeper shit.

>Does the file 'roll-over' or fill up to infinity ?

It fills up until there is no more room on that partition.


>Thanks for any info,

>== Chris Glur.

["Followup-To:" header set to comp.os.linux.misc.]
On Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:46:52 -0500, news@absamail.co.za
<news@absamail.co.za> wrote:
>
>
> This annoying message seems to be associated with the times
> when <cr> won't run mc-selected executables.
> The error mesg. is in that case something about 'shell is
> already running'.
>
When mc gives you the "shell is already running a command" message,
press ^O and <enter>. If you get a normal shell prompt, that should
eliminate the error message.

> Examining the file shows the mail as being from 'Mail Delivery
> subsystem - daemon'. Some looks like being potentially usefull
> for debugging purtposes.
> I've got [only dial up] on this FC1 box; so where's the mail being
> sent from ?
> Can/should I disable this stuff ?
> Does the file 'roll-over' or fill up to infinity ?
>
If it's mail, it will accumulate until you delete it.

--
Dijkstra probably hates me
(Linus Torvalds, in kernel/sched.c)