Comments in /etc/passwd

[Gordon Vickers]

>In article <18759 at agate.BERKELEY.EDU> barn at paxton.ced.berkeley.edu (Gary Barnette) writes:
>	Can somone tell me if it is OK to have comments ( #... )
>	in /etc/passwd. Passwd(5) doesn't tell me. Running
>	BSD 4.2 version 3.2 on Suns.

   The only safe way I have found to do this is by creating dummy accounts:

_:-            :6:6::: ***************************
_:-            :6:6:   * Remote System Logins::  *
_:-            :6:6::: ***************************
ris:Nologin:11:11:Remote Installation Services Account:/usr/adm/ris:/bin/sh
uucp:Nologin:4:1:UNIX-to-UNIX Copy:/usr/spool/uucppublic:/usr/lib/uucp/uucico
codata:x5Gq1pJw5sPXg:5:1:Codata 3300, Unix:/usr/spool/uucppublic:/usr/lib/uucp/uucico
rdm:SU5KSJk9fj1qA:0:0:0:/usr/spool/uucppublic:/usr/lib/uucp/tip
_:-            :6:6::: *******************
_:-            :6:6:   * 'Maint' Users:: *
_:-            :6:6::: *******************
john:bVsf6thFqV2CI:40:40:Cntry Club President,69,5333, :/a/john:/usr/new/csh
bob:RJry9eu0izqwc:41:40:Bob Stokes,69,5359, :/a/bob:/usr/new/csh
dave:c1ec9/NDKaGzs:42:40:Dave Draper,69,5359, :/a/dave:/usr/new/csh
al:HnhqLtgtxEI/s:43:40:Al Alverez,69,5359, :/a/al:/usr/new/csh
doug:KlRZHM5DSwb2c:44:40:Doug F.,69,5359, :/a/doug:/usr/new/csh
_:-            :6:6:::  *********************
_:-            :6:6:    * 'Control' Users:: *
_:-            :6:6:::  *********************
gordon:Yv/SVf7npcCrQ:10:20:G Vickers,69,5370,5551212:/a/gordon:/usr/new/csh
fms:Cua74KLkuDvZ2:13:20:FMS Operator,69,5370, :/a/fms:/usr/new/csh
tom:E/Z5fvvRHb6gw:12:20:Tom Brown,69,5370,4082675631:/a/tom:/usr/new/csh
_:-            :6:6::: ********************
_:-            :6:6:   * 'Admin' Users:: *
_:-            :6:6::: ********************
irwin:l0ADs6m5HBdPc:61:60:Elizabeth Irwin,69,5337, :/b/irwin:/usr/new/csh
stockrm:LxKqSuqI6h8WY:62:60:Stock Room Office,69,5372, :/b/stockrm:/usr/new/csh
_:-            :6:6::: *************************
_:-            :6:6:   * 'Engineering' Users:: *
_:-            :6:6::: *************************
debbie:1Y8My2vEoIQoE:71:70:Debbie Ingraham,58,5204, :/b/debbie:/usr/new/csh
castro:VYadkuDtQRoto:72:70:Dave Castro,58,5271, :/b/castro:/usr/new/csh
bangs::73:70:Mike Bangs,58,5251, :/b/bangs:/usr/new/csh
_:-            :6:6::: *******************
_:-            :6:6:   * 'Guest' Users:: *
_:-            :6:6::: *******************
gamer:never-has-one:50:50:He who writes the scores,,, :/:
guest:njN.phg8JW07k:101:100:On-line guest,,, :/usr/guest:/usr/new/csh

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NOTES:
   Every comment line contains a filled in passwd field, prehaps someone
  very familiar with DES (I'm not at all) could figure out the "unencrypted"
  form.
   Comment lines do not specify a home directory.  I run Ultrix. Login fails
  if the account does not contain a home directory (but one can still 'su'
  to the login name provided one knows the password).
   Some utilities don't like seeing more than one account with the same
  uid and gid combination. This has not been a problem at this site.

   I'm no guru, I've never studied Unix source, etc.....  Proceed at your
  own risk.

   Comments to my suggestions welcomed!
Gordon Vickers 408/991-5370 (Sunnyvale,Ca); {mips|pyramid|philabs}!prls!gordon