[plug] what would this command do if typed as root?

[Ari Finander]

I know I should look this up either in the book or in the online
documentation, but while we're on the subject: How can I place all of
the user accounts on my linux box in a single group (both command line
and graphical methods for Gnome on RH7.0 would be appreciated)?

 TIA,

 Ari

Original message from: Garry <bigbadbill at dingoblue.net.au>
>
>Ari..
>
>This is how permissions work.. There are a few simple concepts coming
>together at once here. 
>
>People on the Linux system are divided into three groups. These are
root, 
>members of a group, and the rest. (There can be many different
groups, but 
>think about a single group for a file..) 
>
>The number 777 in permissions is not seven hundred and seventy seven.
It is 
>seven seven seven.
>
>This refers to who is allowed to do _what_ with it. 
>The who is the "owner", members of a group, and ordinary users.
>
>The "what" is read the file, write to the file or execute the file.
>
>Back to 777.. Look at 7 in binary. It is 111. If you have 777, in
binary this 
>is 111 111 111.
>
>The permissions are laid out as 
>
>owner (read, write,execute); group(read,write,execute); user(read,
write, 
>execute). 
>
>If root, a group or users are allowed to read, write or execute
respectively 
>that particular file, a "1" is allocated.. "1" means true, or "can
do".
>
>Once you remember that the people are always ordered as "owner,
"group", 
>"user", and permissions for each catagory are always ordered as read,
write 
>execute (r,w,e), the 777 starts to make sense..  
>
>owner     group       user
>r w e       r w e        r w e
>1 1 1       1 1 1       1 1 1 
>
>
>Linux assumes you understand this, and that is why you are provided
with a 
>command called chmod. 
>
>chmod lets you enter the permissions as a set of three numbers. eg
777.
>
>chgrp allows you to allocate a group to a file. A group might be a
group of 
>internet users, accountants or students. It just save you from having
to put 
>in permissions for every user. Users can belong to more than one
group.
>
>chown lets you change the group and owner for a file.
>
>As always, use "man chmod" or "info chmod" command to learn more
about 
>options for these commands.
>
>Hope this helps...
>
>Garry.
>
>I recomend a book - "A practical guide to linux", by Sobell. It
explains 
>these concepts.
>
>
>
>
>
>On Fri, 23 Feb 2001, Ari Finander wrote:
>> What would 'chmod 777 *.bin' do if I typed it as root from a
command
>> prompt?  
>
>
>If obesity, baldness and early death can be effectively treated, why
are 
>there so many fat, bald dead guys?
>
>
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>


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