Re: converting uid/gid to abstract credentials

[Jukka Marin <jmarin%embedtronics.fi@localhost>]

On Fri, Jan 09, 2009 at 11:18:33PM +0000, n0g0013 wrote:
> planning to begin tackling a variety of changes in the kernel.  the
> first of which is to abstract and extend user credentials (initially
> to remove the group membership limit).  however, initial engagement
> with POSIX on the subject would seem to define 'uid_t' and 'gid_t' as
> 'integer types'.  however, 'integer type' does not appear to be defined
> except within the loose terms of C99 (the best i can understand).
> 
> as such i'm looking for opinions and definite issues that may arise
> from using an abstract encoding of 'uid_t' similar to BCD.

Why on earth (if I may ask) would you want to do that?

  -jm