Length of username

From: Jean-Loup Risler <Jean-Loup.Risler_at_genetique.uvsq.fr>
Date: Thu, 08 Feb 96 11:25:09 +0100

Dear Gurus,

Following a recent question "Is it possible to extend the user names (login
names) to more than 8 characters", I have a partial answer and a question:

1) suppose you want to create an account for a user "billgates" (9 char.)
   With "adduser", you'll have to enter "billgate"
   Then, you can edit /etc/passw with vipw and modify the login name to its
   full length.
   It works. Now billgates can log in.

2) however, isn't this potentially dangerous?
   Suppose billgates makes an "ls -l": there will be no blank between the
   owner and the group. This is not very serious, but I wonder whether some
   system tasks may be confused?
   What if the user name is more than 9 characters long?

Thanks for your help,

Jean-Loup

-- 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
| Jean-Loup Risler               |                                  |
| Universite de Versailles       | Tel: (33-1) 39 25 45 54          |
| Lab. Genome et Informatique    | Fax: (33-1) 39 25 45 69          |
| Batiment Buffon                |                                  |
| 45 Avenue des Etats-Unis       | email: risler_at_genetique.uvsq.fr  |
| 78035  Versailles Cedex France |                                  |
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on Thu Feb 08 1996 - 13:36:07 NZDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Wed Nov 08 2023 - 11:53:46 NZDT