On Sep 15,  7:59am, Juha K Kallio wrote:
}
} What is the function of the pseudo tty lines in /etc/ttys? I noticed that each of ttyp* has a line for it in there,

     The ordering of the tty lines in /etc/ttys determines their
position in /var/run/utmp.

} but for ttyq/r/s, only 0-9 and a-f. Still, sshd and other software use for example ttyqg. While experimenting with
} this, I got a situation when running 'w' didn't show the user running it on a terminal not listed in /etc/ttys. Is

     The above is why.  If it isn't listed in /etc/ttys, it doesn't
have a slot in /var/run/utmp.

} there a reason why it doesn't include all the possible pseudo ttys by default?

     Either because nobody has done it, or due to how big it would make
the file.

}-- End of excerpt from Juha K Kallio