Running top on system console without being logged on

[Anthony Atkielski]

I'd like to run top on the system console to keep an eye on the system,
but I'd prefer not to have the console logged on to do so.  Is there an
elegant way to do this?

I know I can start top and redirect output to /dev/console and detach it
from the current terminal with "top -s 3 >/dev/console &", but I have to
do that from the console itself in order for top to see the console
characteristics (I'm running in 80x50 text mode), and logging off after
starting the program messes up the top display.  If I try to do this
from another terminal, top doesn't see the console video settings and
assumes 80x25.  So how can I do this?

Also, is there a way to send input to stdin of the top process even
after I've started and detached it (in order to redraw the screen or to
give top a command, etc.)?

-- 
Anthony