Hi!

First: We are using a complete -current NetBSD system of Feb-3-1997 on
some i386 machines.

After installing (vipw) a temporary local account on one of our NetBSD
machines I tried to change the accounts local password by simply
typing 'passwd [account]': --> 'passwd: unknown user [account]'!?

'man passwd' revealed:

  This is the behavior if no flags are specified: If the password is not
  in the local password database, then an attempt is made to use the YP
  database. ...

Hmm, I had a look into passwd sources (passwd.c) and found:

  [...]
  #ifdef  YP
        use_yp = _yp_check(NULL);
  #endif
  [...]
  #ifdef  YP
        if (use_yp)
                exit(yp_passwd(username));
  #endif
  [...]

At least in the case of no specified option ;-).

--> If you have a running NIS _no_ automatical lookup in the local
passwd db is done! Calling 'passwd [username]' is equivalent to
'yppasswd [username]' in this case.

--> Beside the difference between man page and binary: What is wrong:
The program or the man page?

Markus.