Messages in this thread | | | Date | Mon, 22 Feb 1999 16:04:24 -0500 (EST) | From | "Richard B. Johnson" <> | Subject | Re: The Shadow Password Conundrum |
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On Mon, 22 Feb 1999, Juan Carlos Castro y Castro wrote:
> Okay, step by step. > > 1) In order to use 2.2.x, I have to update a plethora of system > utilities.
No you don't. The kernel maintains compatibility with user-space utilities. Just install the new kernel. You might need some new tools to build it if your system is very, very old. Look at .../linux/Documentation/Changes.
> > 2) Among them, the ones included in util-linux (including login, passwd > and others). >
Util-linux provides a new version of mount and mkswap to overcome some earlier limitations. There are other tools, also. You can continue to use your existing tools if you don't need some special functionality.
In other words, you don't overwrite/replace stuff for no reason.
> 3) The util-linux README (newest version) says it doesn't support shadow > paswords! (Using /etc/passwd is not acceptable for me.) >
Shadow passwords are, and always have been, a separate user-space facility.
> 4) I could install, over util-linux, the Shadow Password Suite found at > > ftp://i17linuxb.ists.pwr.wroc.pl/pub/linux/shadow >
This is the current site.
> but is it safe? There's a July 98 version deemed stable, and a December > 98 version deemed "development". None of them ever mentions kernel 2.2 > or the newest version of util-linux. > > What do I do? > > And what's the reasoning behind not supporting shadow passwords in > util-linux? >
Shadow passwords are a user-level facility that has nothing at all to do with the kernel nor its maintenance. I believe that shadow passwords were (are) a Sun idea that has been adapted to many SYSV systems, including Linux.
Cheers, Dick Johnson ***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***** Penguin : Linux version 2.2.1 on an i686 machine (400.59 BogoMips). Warning : It's hard to remain at the trailing edge of technology. Wisdom : It's not a Y2K problem. It's a Y2Day problem.
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