The sad guy mistook a db25 rs232 for a parallel port... sigh
I've been doing this for years, since 1997... so this must be one of the oldest tricks in the book.
Here is my 4 step recipe for Ubuntu, using USB serial adapters:
1) hook up the stuff and config the terminals correctly (I used 9600 8n1 due to long cables, got weird chars at 19200+)
2) Install Ubuntu on your system
3) put the following in
# ttyUSB0 - getty
#
# This service maintains a getty on tty1 from the point the system is
# started until it is shut down again.
#start on stopped rc RUNLEVEL=[2345]
#stop on runlevel [!2345]
respawn
exec
---(repeat for as many terminals you have, incrementing the 0 of ttyUSB0 to 1 to 2 etc)---
4a) reboot
or
4b) sudo service ttyUSB0 start
(repeat for as many terminals you have, incrementing 0 to 1 to 2 etc)
*) profit
Here is my setup with a WYSE vt420 compatible and two vt320's
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickdeckardt/4748415699/
Gee wiz, that was easy... So why is this on the frontpage of slashdot?
DRM is a tool to create artificial scarcity. Scarcity, virtual or real makes the scarce item more valuable, or so is thought. Only one (1) person needs to crack the 'scarcity' and the whole (economic) system comes tumbling down. Let DRM be implemented, and let it be cracked, it will lead to yet another market-crash. However, if the DRM can not or isn't cracked it will lead to the loss of the item, destroying the information locked by its DRM inside forever. An information black-out will be the result in our history.
Its a very strange thing that DRM is hailed upon by the biggest players in the 'free market'. All for profit and profit for all as they say. Money seems to be more valuable than anything else. This to me is a very freightning attitude. But reacting upon angst is even more freighting. We need to look at the root cause of the issue here, authors/creators feeling they're not duly compensated for their work. If we solve this issue there is no need for DRM.
A lot of research is being done in the field of new media and especially its distribution, but these reports don't seem to hit home (the publishers/law makers/etc).
Need an example on how stuff can change? Watch this lecture,1st part is a dull intro to bittorrent, after that it really gets interesting: pt1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxCoCTc3T5Q pt2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIqG7WgqQ-w
I've noticed several design suggestions in your code.