Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!mcnc!xanth!john From: john@xanth.UUCP (John Owens) Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: Re: Passwords in /etc/group Message-ID: <1491@xanth.UUCP> Date: Mon, 6-Jul-87 12:05:35 EDT Article-I.D.: xanth.1491 Posted: Mon Jul 6 12:05:35 1987 Date-Received: Wed, 8-Jul-87 00:49:21 EDT References: <5740010@hpfcdc.HP.COM> <207@macom1.UUCP> <3671@cisunx.UUCP> Organization: Old Dominion University, Norfolk Va. Lines: 14 > One thing I'd like to pas along i to use vipw, not vi, to edit the passwd > file. > IF for some reason, you make a small mistake in vi, and corrupt the password > file - vi will not catch it, but vipw will. Also, vipw uses the file /etc/ptmp, whose presence "locks" the password file. If you didn't use vipw or something similar, and someone changed their password while you were editing the file, their change would be lost when you write your version of the passwd file. -- John Owens Old Dominion University - Norfolk, Virginia, USA john@ODU.EDU old arpa: john%odu.edu@RELAY.CS.NET +1 804 440 4529 old uucp: {seismo,harvard,sun,hoptoad}!xanth!john