Re: [9fans] book chapters

[Dan Cross <cross@math.psu.edu>]

> | I haven't, because groups serve nicely as ACLs,
>
> I disagree.  ACLs are things that any user can set on any of their files.
> That's the opposite of predefined groups stored on the BOFH's auth
> server.

I just want to point out that the ability to write user-level file
servers allows one to easily implement ACL's at that level.  It's
not convenient for, e.g., access to a fossil or some similar large
fileserver (think of the mess an ACL-enabled overlay would be), but
it works for other things.

> Do you really want to define groups for all 50000! combinations of users
> on PSUVM?  I'd rather just attach the access list to the file itself.

There are 2^50000 - 1 such combinations (assuming one ignores the group
with no one in it); a lot more than 50000!.  Besides, I thought PSUVM was
gone?  I'm out of touch with what's happening in Happy Valley, I guess.

> | I wonder if the people who rave about ACLs are actually attached to
> | some aspect of a particular implementation,
>
> The one in Primos (and Multics, I guess) was certainly beautiful,
> but it's the actual effect that I'm attached to.

I think the major benefit of ACL systems is that most implementations
don't require administrator intervention to set up or maintain them
(some do).

	- Dan C.