Re: Can't hardlink in different dirs. (BUG#826)

Richard Gooch (rgooch@ras.ucalgary.ca)
Fri, 3 Dec 1999 15:24:45 -0700


Andrea Arcangeli writes:
> On Fri, 3 Dec 1999, Richard Gooch wrote:
>
> >And I want the opposite: I want any user to be able to make hard links
> >to my files, without needing write access to the inodes, and without
> >needing some stupid set{u|g}id binary.
>
> Any sane workgroup project uses an unix group. You don't need
> set{u|g}id binaries. Just use the right GID settings on files and on
> users (basic admin docs explain how to do that while explainig
> chgrp/chown/newgrp and the unix file permissions).

I don't want *anyone* writing to my inodes! But I do want them to be
able to hardlink to them.

And Andrea: why do you keep pointing me to "basic admin docs" or basic
Unix permissions info? Are you trying to be rude?

> >Maybe you work in a hostile environment, but I (usually) work in a
> >co-operative environment. That usually means no quotas, most
> >directories readable and executable by everyone and so on.
>
> I don't need quota for myself either. So? Do you suggest to remove
> quota from the kernel because me and you don't need it? You can't
> just take decisions for everybody only looking at your needs. Or you
> should then say "this system is insecure and you should run it only
> in an envinroment like mine". Personally I like linux to be secure
> and to be safe enough to run also in very very hostile environments.

*I* haven't suggested removing anything. You're the one who is
suggesting that functionality be removed/restricted. I'm advocating
that things not be changed, since it works for co-operative
environments as well as very very hostile environments.

Again: if you're worried about hard links, lock up your directories.
That's all you need to do.

> >The changes you propose prevent efficient work in a co-operative
> >environment. Thus it's a bad idea.
>
> So you want to remove also the permission from files and let
> everybody to open/read/write to all files? It will also avoid you
> having to use chgrp on files that you want to share with other users
> while working in a co-operative environment.

Where do you get this stuff from? Nowhere have I suggested that
permissions checking should be removed. There is no logical connection
between what I've been saying and what you say above.

I can't imagine where you get this chgrp "requirement" from. You seem
to be implying that I need to do that today to share data. Well, I
can't even remember the last time I (as a user) have called chgrp.

> >In that case there's no conceivable reason to change the VFS. Nor any
>
> There's no way I would add an hack in the vfs to simplify an fs that
> is just smart enough. I don't see your point.

You've snipped the relevant context.

Regards,

Richard....
Permanent: rgooch@atnf.csiro.au
Current: rgooch@ras.ucalgary.ca

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