Re: OT - Shutting down an RS/6000 ?

[Hans Boldt <boldt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

R. Bruce Hoffman, Jr. wrote:
> > <SNIP>
> > While signed on as root:
> > shutdown -h now
> > I *think* that should work.
> > <SNIP>
> >
> > Heck Just us any thing between -a and -z
> > See what happens
> > Love those parameter keywords
> > John
> shutdown -h now   (-h is halt)
> shutdown -r now   (-r is restart)
>  now *should* be obvious.... so john, what's not to understand. This is one
> of the better ones... <VBG>
>
> oh, and hey, at least they have this....
>
> shutdown -c now
>
> that's -c for cancel the shutdown..... let's see a 400 do that! <LOL>
What, an OS/400 operator can't cancel an already scheduled shutdown?

And if a Unix admin wanted to find out how to shutdown an iSeries,
would it really be any easier for him to discover the PWRDWNSYS command?

Note that command "shutdown" is normally reserved for root, who
*should* know everything about the system anyways. So why bother
with good user-oriented help, right? ;-)

Looking at the shutdown manpage, I do see some annoying
inconsistencies with other commands. Normally, option -h lists help
for the command, but for shutdown it means "halt". Also, to make the
command even less tempting for the average user, the shutdown
command doesn't seem to support the more user friendly -- options.

Like any operating system, you have to learn the commands and
conventions. OS/400 has its quirks too - I still can't always figure
out when to use WRKxxx or STRxxx or DSPxxx etc. after 21 years on
this system! But just as OS/400 operators know to press F4 or F1 for
assistance, Unix/Linux/Posix operators know about command option -h
or --help, or how to read a manpage.

Cheers!  Hans