According to Yilbber VArgas:
>
>It's probably because it's a MSdos port of the mail program ,,,
>u, 31 Oct
>1996, Olaf Schroeder wrote:
>
>> Date: Thu, 31 Oct 1996 08:52:52 -0700
>> From: Olaf Schroeder <olaf@digirule.com>
>> To: netbsd-help@netbsd.org
>> Subject: Username length restriction
>> 
>> Is there a limit to the length of the login name in NetBSD?
>> I don't see any mention in the man pages... but I can't seem
>> to get anything longer than 8 characters. If I make a user
>> 'catherine', I can't login or e-mail to this account. But if
>> I make 'catherin', it's fine.
>> 

Thanks for the Yilbber but you are incorrect - the current limit for
login names is 8 characters (this _is_ traditional) but there was some
talk of this limit being lifted.  I think you are stuck with it for
the moment though.

-- 
Brett Lymn, Computer Systems Administrator, AWA Defence Industries
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