[Pkg-shadow-devel] Bug#690963: passwd: allocates UIDs for system users top-down, in conflict with adduser's bottom-up policy

[Max Bowsher]

Package: passwd
Version: 1:4.1.4.2+svn3283-2+squeeze1
Severity: normal

The 'useradd -r' command (-r meaning 'system user') allocates UID values
top-down within the range reserved in login.defs.  In contrast, adduser
allocates UID values bottom-up.

Whilst most user creation on a Debian system happens by way of adduser,
tools which aim to have cross-distribution compatibility (e.g. Puppet)
will use useradd. It would be useful if useradd would observe similar
allocation policies to adduser, so that users do not end up placed at
opposite ends of the allocated range depending on the method of
creation.

For that reason I would suggest that useradd should be patched to match
the allocation policy of adduser in this respect.

Max.