From: Akim Demaille Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 09:44:21 +0000 (+0000) Subject: * doc/autoconf.texi (Limitations of Usual Tools): Some about `cp X-Git-Tag: AUTOCONF-2.53a~79 X-Git-Url: http://git.ipfire.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?a=commitdiff_plain;h=b8d6b81d648509dc7f0e375d8be555ccb28b2571;p=thirdparty%2Fautoconf.git * doc/autoconf.texi (Limitations of Usual Tools): Some about `cp -p'. From Bob Proulx. --- diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog index 24297ecf2..15695bd6e 100644 --- a/ChangeLog +++ b/ChangeLog @@ -1,3 +1,9 @@ +2002-03-13 Akim Demaille + + * doc/autoconf.texi (Limitations of Usual Tools): Some about `cp + -p'. + From Bob Proulx. + 2002-03-12 Akim Demaille * lib/m4sugar/m4sh.m4 (AS_BASENAME_EXPR): AS_REQUIRE, not diff --git a/THANKS b/THANKS index 6246877b9..56a9ba1ee 100644 --- 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 f7fa38d8e..50d2fddcd 100644 --- 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 -----------------