The K Desktop Environment

5.9. Features That Will Not Be Implemented.

utmp entries.

The utmp is a database that reports who is currently logged on. This is used by programs like who, finger, wall, talk, etc. to list the users of a system and to contact them.

It does not make sense when used with an X terminal, since there is nothing like the terminal then, to which one can send notices.

The proper solution would be, to stamp the utmp with the xdm/kdm session manager. Further, a proper notification/chat program should be run automatically when the X session starts (ktalk?), so that a communication channel is available to the one at the console.