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Date:      Mon, 7 Oct 1996 13:03:44 -0400 (EDT)
From:      "Graydon Hoare ()" <admin@multinet.net>
To:        freebsd-isp@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: User name length limit increase
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.3.91.961007125848.9292G-100000@house.multinet.net>
In-Reply-To: <199610071534.SAA02235@final.dystopia.fi>

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On Mon, 7 Oct 1996, Kaj J. Niemi wrote:

> > changes sizeof(struct utmp) and sizeof(struct lastlog) which is kinda
> > important.
> 
> 	Even though this _is_ technically possible a lot of programs will go
> 	FUBAR faster than you can say "OOPS" when doing the things mentioned
> 	above - ie. I wouldn't advise you (anybody for that matter) unless
> 	you're _very_ sure of what you're doing and have a deathwish... :-)

Hmm... hasn't been my experience. I've been running with 11 char 
usernames for some time without things blowing up. Now, mind you, it's 
just a mailbox & kerb. system, but popper, login, kinit, sendmail, bash 
etc all seem to work OK (after the implicit make-world I did).
I've heard warnings about going beyond 12 characters as breaking 
something, but have never experienced it.

Which programs break? This is something a lot of people want -- maybe 
instead of dire predictions we should just fix it.

after all... Windows can do it <g> 
(restrain flames, I'm as unixey as they next guy)

-graydon<admin@multinet.net>



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