Re: exploring debian's users and groups
Hi,
Quoting Stephen Stafford (stephen@clothcat.demon.co.uk):
> On Tuesday 07 Aug 2001 6:35 am, Joey Hess wrote:
> > bin:
> > HELP: No files on my system are owned by user or group bin. What
> > good are they? Historically they were probably the owners of
> > binaries in /bin? It is not mentioned in the FHS, debian
> > policy, or the changelog of base-passwd or base-files.
> The only files on my system owned by bin:bin are in the unpacked
> sources for cdrtools, but that hardly counts.
I'm not sure what to do with this, but it seems like having binaries owned
by group bin would be useful; especially in situations where one would want
to limit executing rights for certain binaries to certain users.
> > operator:
> >
> > HELP: No files owned by it here, what's it good for?
> Historical reasons I suspect
'operator' is historically (and practically) the only 'user' account that
can login remotely, and doesn't depend on NIS/NFS.
On a system with no remote root access, you need this (incidentally, on all
my systems running NIS, and lots of other's boxes too).
> It is used so that unpriveleged users can be added to the group dialout
> and be able to use the modem devices, that is what I use it for here
> anyway. I am afraid I don't recall if it was as simple as just adding
> the user to the group, or if I had to do some playing with permissions
> as well, sorry. The group dip appears to have a similar function. It
> is entirely possible that I added users to dialout, and when that
> didn't work added them to dip as well. Curse my crap memory.
Adding them to 'dialout' should be sufficient.
> > fax:
> >
> > HELP: ?
> I imagine similarly, although I don't use fax from this box.
Similar to 'dialout' indeed.
> > dip:
> >
> > HELP: WHat did this group's name signify? DIaluP?
> >
> > pppd may only be run by users in the dip group (and by root of
> > course).
> Dial-up Internet Protocol (Linux)
dip - Tool for handling SLIP/PPP dialup IP connections
I'm not sure if this needs a user.
> > staff:
> >
> > HELP: So, /usr/local and /var/local are owned by it, but how's it
> > differ from say, adm, and what's the historical meaning, and
> > the current purpose?
<snip anecdote>
I use 'staff' as a default group to add users to that have 'elevated'
priviliges; afaik that is correct ( 'staff members').
Greets,
Robert
--
Linux Generation
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Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.
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