[Pkg-shadow-devel] Bug#443264: Bug#443264: closed by Nicolas Fran??ois <nicolas.francois at centraliens.net> (Re: Bug#443264: passwd: useradd ignores default group and creates usergroups instead)

[CaT]

On Sat, Sep 22, 2007 at 10:39:17AM +0200, Christian Perrier wrote:
> > Would it be possible to modify this slightly to say that if a GROUP=
> > line is given in the configuration file then -n is implied and that is
> > used, otherwise make a new one? It seems to me to be slightly better
> > behaviour as it, at least to me, easily follows from the actual act of
> > setting a single, solid group.
> 
> I have mitigated feelings about a setting in the "configuration file"
> to change the default setting of the program switches.
> 
> As such, your proposal is an interesting compromise, yes. However, I
> wouldn't like to introduce confusion in the use of the software.

I'd agree except that this isn't necessarily set in stone. It's only
present in an in-flux distribution of Debian (Lenny/Sid) and Etch
doesn't even have the switch at all (and is currently stuck with a
default totally different to its predecessors). Even the comments in the
Etch config file seems to indicate (in somewhat confused English :) )
something other then what has occured:

# The default group for users
# 1000=users on Debian systems
# same then USERS_GID in adduser
# Please be aware that Debian's adduser defaults to "user groups"
# which means that one group is created for each user
# There is no way to achieve this with useradd which must remains a low
# level utility
# GROUP=100

The behaviour I'm thinking of would be more like:

No switch, no default GROUP define: Keep the etch/red hat specific way
No switch, GROUP defined: use GROUP and behave as useradd always has
    under Debian.
-n specified, no default GROUP: use group 1 as per manpage (not sure why
    group 1 was chosen but hey)
-n specified, GROUP defined: use GROUP

The behaviour of -n doesn't /really/ change and keeps useradd
functioning in a mannger compatible with Red Hat. The behaviour of
useradd without -n would change from present Lenny (and Etch, since it
would then finally do as the docs suggest). With this, no scripts
written under previous versions of Debian need change and scripts from
Red Hat based systems can still be ported. People who wish 1 group/user
setup of useradd can still have it and those who  wish the longstanding
behaviour can still have it also.

-- 
    "To the extent that we overreact, we proffer the terrorists the
    greatest tribute."
    	- High Court Judge Michael Kirby