Re: [ANNOUNCEMENT] TEST RELEASE: Cygwin 1.7.33-0.6

[Christian Franke <Christian dot Franke at t-online dot de>]

Corinna Vinschen wrote:
> > > In theory there should be only one option -l [machine], which prints the
> > > local accounts of the current machine unprefixed (standalone machine) or
> > > prefixed (domain machine), and always prefixed for a foreign machine.
> > > The -L option can just go away.
> > I disgree.
> >
> > Why not keep the old behavior of -l/-L for user names of current machine for
> > those uses cases which rely on it?
> You are always free to change the passwd/group files manually:
>
>    $ mkpasswd -l | sed -e 's/^[^:]*+//' > /etc/passwd

Of course, and it is good that this is still possible. But this would 
require that all existing scripts relying on old behavior need to be 
changed.

I still don't understand why this backward compatibility break of 
"mkpasswd -l" was mandatory.

Most *-config scripts using "mkpasswd -l -u USER" may need to be 
changed. Local scripts from Cygwin users which use "mkpasswd -l" may 
need to be changed. Scripts tested by maintainers only outside a domain 
may no longer work inside a domain.

An IMO better way would be to keep the old "mkpasswd -l" behavior and 
invent a new option for the output with the new non-domain/domain prefix 
handling.

Then  a user would be able to "opt-in" for "local users of a domain 
machine always have a prefix" by
  $ mkpasswd --the-new-local-option > /etc/passwd
or even simpler:
  $ > /etc/mkpasswd

A user could "opt-out" by simply keeping all everything as-is for now :-)

This IMO would provide a much smother migration path.

Christian


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