Gordon W. Ross said:
> Can the user not set this variable (and any other) anyway?

If she or he has full shell access: yes.

But e.g. PPP, Slip or UUCP account don't.

> I don't see the difference between the proposed feature and,
> say, a .login file that sets some environment variables.

The ".login" can't be changed without full shell access.

-- 
Matthias Scheler
tron@lyssa.owl.de