On Mon, 11 Aug 2003, technomage wrote:

> I'd rather be able to do it without having to tail a log file. basically, I
> was direct access to the tty that the kernel uses to report dtat to syslogd.

It is not a TTY, the syslog data is sent through the UNIX domain socket
(like /dev/log or /var/run/log). But that is not the kernel, that is done
by libc's syslog(3).

The kernel's logging can be accessed via a system call, but normally you
would read /proc/kmsg.

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://bsd.reedmedia.net/

p.s. My syslogd man page has:

       5.     Use step 4 and if the problem persists and  is  not
              secondary  to  a  rogue program/daemon get a 3.5 ft
              (approx. 1 meter) length of sucker rod* and have  a
              chat with the user in question.

              Sucker  rod def. -- 3/4, 7/8 or 1in. hardened steel
              rod, male threaded on each end.  Primary use in the
              oil  industry  in  Western  North  Dakota and other
              locations to pump 'suck' oil from oil wells.   Sec
              ondary uses are for the construction of cattle feed
              lots and for dealing with the  occasional  recalci
              trant or belligerent individual.