Jude, the "Other..." is actually a standard option of OS X allowing
you to log in as a Network user authenticating off a remote Directory
Server. For example in our situation here at Curtin, we can have a
central OS X Server with a central directory containing all of the
student user accounts and then dozens of students on Lab Macs that
could log in using that "other user" option to select their username
and password to log into each lab Mac. (As opposed to logging into
an account on each local Mac) This can also be forced so there is no
option to log in locally.
As such, what might possibly be happening is that as you are
connecting to the internet by cable, you are indeed live on the net
to other computers and someone else on your subnet may have set up a
system with Directory services enabled that is advertising its
directory out onto your subnet and your Mac is sensing that and
giving you the option to authenticate off that system. That may also
be causing the performance slow down as your system queries the
remote directory server over a slow link. If they've gone and turned
on DNS or DHCP server by mistake as well that could also cause
significant problems.
You might like to go to your Utilities folder and run "Directory
Access" and see if you have any of the LDAP or Netinfo services
selected. If so, you can deselect them and you shouldn't be bothered
by this again.
In any case, I don't think you need be worried about a mysterious
"Other" hacking your Mac. :-)
Even so, you might like to turn on the firewall on your Mac to give
you more protection from the rest of the internet. Third party
utilities like Brickhouse give you more control than just turning on
the Firewall in the Sharing control panel. Just beware you may end
up blocking some of the things you want to do yourself, so be careful.
This is all from memory, so I may have come to some wrong conclusions
- feel free to shoot me down in flames anyone. :-)
-Mart
At 10:08 AM +0800 7/2/03, Jude wrote:
Hi All
OS X.2.3, Dual 800 G4, heaps of ram.
Bit of a long story, but to keep it short, yesterday while working in
FCP everything suddenly went into 'go slow' mode. I quit the program,
thinking this might help. While I was on the desktop, I decided to
move some files to the trash, only to find that the whole system was
moving like tar. I have never had this problem before, but could find
no reason for it - ie no programs open, nothing (apart from
broadband) actually working in the background, plenty of room left on
all drives So I shut down, thinking it might give the computer a
chance to clear it's head, so to speak.
When I restarted, I was faced with two empty blue screens. This has
happened to me before, and I have had to re install the system to fix
it as I was under the pump to get a job finished, but this time there
is no rush, so I thought I would investigate further.
So I decided to log out in order to log in as a different user to see
if it was 'user specific'. Suddenly there is a whole new user in my
list of users called "Other..", with an icon I have never seen
before. Trying to log on under this user asks for a name and
password, which none of my regular combinations work on .. hmm.
I logged back in as me, and went looking for this other user. I
imagine I am just being paranoid, and its probably some weird
keystroke combination I have accidentally hit, but I can't find the
"Other.." user anywhere. If it is any help, the icon shows a 'user'
silhouette, with a swirly blue 'network' background.
Next step, check for this "Other.." unit in the privilege list of my
drives. Its not there, but the list is a lot shorter than normal, and
most of the drives have been set to give 'no access' to both my user
and admin setups. I reset them.
Meantime, I am looking at my broadband modem and wondering why the
lights are flickering when I am not doing anything. Could I possibly
be exposing my system to the net 24/7?
Um, since this 'short story' is getting long .. cut to : jaguar
install disk > reset password > and in here there is the option "sshd
Privilege Separation (sshd)". I don't remember this from last time -
although probably I wasn't looking last time.
Does anyone have any idea about this "Other.." user and the
'privilege separation'(including the fact that privileges were
changed in my drives)? Is it just a glitch or is it possible that I
have (had) a visitor? What can I do to stop this happening again? I
have had the 'blue screens' about four times since I bought the
system - and although it doesn't scare me witless anymore, it is
annoying.
Thanks for your time :)
Jude
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Multimedia Consultant Home Page: http://mart.curtin.edu.au
Educational & Online Technologies, Information Services, Curtin University
Mobile: 0417-967-969 wk: (08)9266-3101 Fax: (08)9266-3826
