* doc/autoconf.texi (Limitations of Usual Tools): Some about `cp

-p'.
From Bob Proulx.

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 24297ecf27b06a0094d485ff4d2806a12c5f4dd8..15695bd6ee128bee1d4c8256641a52792587cba8 100644 (file)
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2002-03-13  Akim Demaille  <akim@epita.fr>
+
+       * doc/autoconf.texi (Limitations of Usual Tools): Some about `cp
+       -p'.
+       From Bob Proulx.
+
 2002-03-12  Akim Demaille  <akim@epita.fr>
 
        * lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4 (AS_BASENAME_EXPR): AS_REQUIRE, not

diff --git a/THANKS b/THANKS
index 6246877b9c20a0eaff88ced690e9532786314c44..56a9ba1ee66c54095163ffb157e228bbcee3e7cd 100644 (file)
--- a/THANKS
+++ b/THANKS
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Axel Thimm                  Axel.Thimm@physik.fu-berlin.de
 Ben Elliston                bje@redhat.com
 Bill Sommerfeld             sommerfeld@apollo.hp.com
 Bob Friesenhahn             bfriesen@simple.dallas.tx.us
+Bob Proulx                  bob@proulx.com
 Bob Wilson                  bwilson@tensilica.com
 Bram Moolenaar              bram@vim.org
 Bruno Haible                haible@ilog.fr

diff --git a/doc/autoconf.texi b/doc/autoconf.texi
index f7fa38d8e5d98d8ea6f375fddfaad5ca81d4a82b..50d2fddcd6e17785e52f206e9c072c0aa10354f8 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/autoconf.texi
+++ b/doc/autoconf.texi
@@ -9438,6 +9438,27 @@ newer systems, @code{rename}).
 @c Ian said: ``I don't think -p or -r are portable''!!! How can you live
 @c without -r???
 
+Bob Proulx notes that @samp{cp -p} always @emph{tries} to copy
+ownerships.  But whether it actually does copy ownerships or not is a
+system dependent policy decision implemented by the kernel.  If the
+kernel allows it then it happens.  If the kernel does not allow it then
+it does not happen.  It is not something @command{cp} itself has control
+over.
+
+In SysV any user can chown files to any other user, and also had a
+non-sticky @file{/tmp}.  That undoubtedly derives from the heritage of
+SysV in a business environment without hostile users.  BSD changed this
+to be a more secure model where only root can @command{chown} files, and
+used a sticky @file{/tmp}.  That undoubtedly derives from the heritage
+of BSD in a campus environment.
+
+Linux by default follows BSD, but it can be configured to allow
+@command{chown}.  HP-UX as an alternate example follows SysV, but it can
+be configured to use the modern security model and disallow
+@command{chown}.  Since it is an administrator configurable parameter
+you can't use the name of the kernel as an indicator of the behavior.
+
+
 
 @item @command{date}
 @c -----------------