Subject: Re: User "news"
To: None <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: Greg A. Woods <woods@weird.com>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 07/03/2002 17:59:37
[ On Wednesday, July 3, 2002 at 21:42:59 (+0200), Hauke Fath wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: User "news"
>
> While a streamlined distribution is nothing I'd object to: Do we have any
> policies in place for assigning 'well-known' numerical userids? I find it
> somewhat annoying to find userids for package-related services randomly
> inserted between the 'normal' userids.

I think it's actually more important than just the aesthetics of such
assignments.  Things like the Apache SUEXEC module (and I'm sure it's
far from unique) use basic tests to ascertain whether or not a UID/GID
is "valid" for a given use (in SUEXEC it's a test for a floor value
under which the account is assumed to be a system account and not valid
for CGI execution).

I think at minimum the mk/bsd.pkg.install.mk (and useradd et al) must
support the concept of ranges and make it easy to define at least three
ranges for users and groups into which ID#s can be assigned on a
first-come-first-served basis.  I can think of several really good
reasons to want even four separate ranges though, and no doubt others
will be able to find uses for yet more separate ranges of ID#s
(hmm... already I remember yet another myself! :-).


-- 
								Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098;            <g.a.woods@ieee.org>;           <woods@robohack.ca>
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