The kernel developers have decided to add a really important system call. Here is detail of the man page that describe the corresponding libc call:

int is_computer_on(void)

It will return 1 of the computer is on. Otherwise the result is undetermined. Return -1 in case of error and set errno appropriately. Possible errno values are:

ENOPARSE impossible to parse the hardware status subsystem data. Happen usuall when your system is on crack

ENOFOOL can't be fooled by the value returned

EAGAIN sorry the system is busy doing something more important

This system call conforms to the AFOS 2006 release 1 specification.

Kernel developers expect helping developers of power management software such as gnome-power-manager. The kernel symbol is marked as GPL only to prevent proprietary device driver to link against it.

Off course ressemblance with an existing system call of a now defunct operating system would be pure coincidence.