I've recently started getting core.#### (program crash data) being dumped into my home folder. I've been watching diligently to determine which program is duming this information. To date I have not been able to determine which one (or more) is dumping it.

It troubles me that linux would allow core dumps such as this without letting me (the user) know which program is causing the problem. I don't want to be a researcher tasked with determining what is causing the issue. Nor would I want any of the customers to which I set up linux to have to ask me or do it themselves.

So, the question is: what's the easiest way to determine which program is creating this mess in my home folder and how can I make them go away permanently?

Why do you blame linux? It's the program's responsibility to tell you.

Anyway, type:

file core.xxxx
to determine the program that dumped the core.

A user knows nothing of who creates it.

who created the mechanism for dumping it? I would say it is linux, hence linux gets the blame.

The following is the dump from that. Tracking this down indicates that it has something to do with some package from gnome even though I'm not using gnome and it has to do with some facility which tracks the changes to the file system: FAM something or the other Monitor.

core.7249: ELF 32-bit LSB core file Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), SVR4-style, SVR4-s tyle, from 'gam_server'

It is reported to be a program that also has problems with a looping bug which causes it to use upwards of 50-100% of the cpu utilization.

I'd say this is a linux issue and not a program issue.