postgresql, auth, cron

[Richard Hector <rhector@paradise.net.nz>]

Hi all,

In /etc/cron.d/postgresql:

# To ensure proper access rights, 'peer sameuser' access for localhost is
# required in /etc/postgresql/pg_hba.conf.  This is now the default setting for
# the Debian configuration.

However the extensive notes in pg_hba.conf don't mention a 'peer' keyword
at all, nor can I find it by googling the postgresql site - except in 
list archives.

Is it an obsolete feature?

In all, the authentication features of PostgreSQL seem a bit limiting to me.
Is that other people's experience, or am I just failing to understand it?

My aim is to enable cron jobs to run properly, but have proper authentication
in place. I'm trying to set up SQL-Ledger, if that's important.

I also want to understand what's happening - it doesn't enhance my sense of
security to find things to cut & paste without knowing what they do.

Any suggestions on what to read?

Many thanks,

Richard