Re: What is the maximal length of usernames on Solaris?

From: Richard L. Hamilton (Richard.L.Hamilton_at_mindwarp.smart.net)
Date: 12/28/03 

Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2003 18:51:54 -0000

In article <jtmckee-053910.16041026112003@netnews.attbi.com>,
        Josh McKee <jtmckee@rm-bogus-ac.net> writes:
> In article <Pine.GSO.4.56.0311261603450.18504@altair.herts.ac.uk>,
> Gregory <ccsqihg@herts.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 26 Nov 2003, Josh McKee wrote:
>>
>> > On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 13:19:22 +0000, Gregory <ccsqihg@herts.ac.uk>
>> > wrote:
>>
>> > >As far as I am aware the general consensus amongst unix
>> > >admins is that the standard 8 character limit for usernames
>> > >is reasonable - I certainly see no reason to increase it.
>> >
>> > That's the problem. You've determined that it's reasonable while the
>> > users apparently want longer user ID's. You're not listening to your
>> > users. You've just made the determination that eight characters is it
>> > instead of maybe thinking that it should be increased. While I
>> > understand that this limitation has been an integral part of UNIX for
>> > quite sometime and as such would be difficult to change I don't think
>> > that this is a reason not to try and change it.
>>
>> Perhaps I move in different circles to you but I have never
>> come across a user who has expressed a desire to have a longer
>> login.
>
> It seems so. Most people I know have some form of user ID consisting of
> their first and last name. I gave an example where one of them was using
> his first name initial combined with his full last name. The entire
> length was nine characters. I don't consider it unusual for a user ID to
> be constructed in this manner. As such it's easy to see that eight
> characters is limiting to some users.
>
>> It is quite common for users to want a shorter login
>
> My experience is that users want to use something that is easy to
> remember. Usually that's some combination of their name. Which leads to
> insufficent length for many people. Perhaps the people you hang around
> with are computer people?
>
>> because it saves keystrokes and is seen as a status symbol
>> (in the same way that three letter domain names like ibm.com
>> are seen as status symbols - internationalbusinessmachines.com
>> just doesn't cut it). To avoid any possible confusion let me
>> make it clear that I am not talking about passwords or email
>> addresses here.
>>
>> Normally it is management that want longer logins. As an admin
>> I want to protect my lusers from the PHB and in this particular
>> battle the 8 character limit is my ultimate defense!
>
> Who are you to say what should and should not be a user ID? I don't mean
> to sound like a jerk buts that's the problem. You're forcing your ideals
> on others. Why not allow them to be what they want? Those that want
> short user ID's get short user ID's. Those that want to use something
> longer get the longer user ID? It's a win-win situation.

Well, I think 8 is long enough to allow constructing a formula that
is derived from something like their name that they should be able to
remember. As long as that's done, I think that's good enough, as I
_don't_ like the idea of letting the users pick the names - I want
something that, given data already on file like their full name (from e.g.
personnel records) and all existing account names, can be generated
automatically, maybe even when people join the organization. That way,
they've got the same name for all their accounts within the organization
(easier for them to remember, easier for us if we have to figure out who
did what), nobody is given the opportunity to argue about why they
can't have a name that's already taken, and nobody has to have meetings
over what to add to a list of words that might be offensive if they
appeared as part of an account name. That's it. They just need to be
able to remember the damn account name; it shouldn't be a status symbol,
a power game, a battleground for sensitivity vs freedom of speech, or
anything else. Given that, and that there will always be _some_ arbitrary
limit, I doubt that it would be worth what it would cost (somewhat explained
in other of my posts) to expand it from 8 to say 64 (or even 16)
characters.

[...] 

-- 
mailto:rlhamil@smart.net  http://www.smart.net/~rlhamil

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