Janine,
Can you give me an example? I haven't followed the linux-kernel list in a while for lack of time, but I don't see such behavior on my debian box:
rbm@zippy:/usr/src$ uname -a
Linux zippy 2.4.20-k7 #1 Sat Dec 21 18:08:10 EST 2002 i686 unknown unknown GNU/Linux
rbm@zippy:/usr/src$ ps fax
...
2755 ? S 1:11 /usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd -i -u www-data -g www-data -t /etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
2759 ? S 0:01 \_ /usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd -i -u www-data -g www-data -t /etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
2760 ? S 0:00 \_ /usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd -i -u www-data -g www-data -t /etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
...
rbm@zippy:/usr/src$ ps faxwww
...
2755 ? S 1:11 /usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd -i -u www-data -g www-data -t /etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
2759 ? S 0:01 \_ /usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd -i -u www-data -g www-data -t /etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
2760 ? S 0:00 \_ /usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd -i -u www-data -g www-data -t /etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
...
Probably better than relying on the behavior of 'ps' is to use the proc "filesystem".
rbm@zippy:/usr/src$ cat /proc/2755/
cmdline cwd environ exe fd maps mem mounts root stat statm status
rbm@zippy:/usr/src$ cat /proc/2755/cmdline
/usr/lib/aolserver/bin/nsd-i-uwww-data-gwww-data-t/etc/aolserver/dotlrn.tcl
-Roberto
