At 06:48 12-01-00 , Rob Brosey wrote:
>Could someone please explain to me what chmod 
>is and how it is accomplished?

On a POSIX file system (such as UN*X or NTFS) it changes the access
permissions for a file or directory (or file specification(wild card)) It
can also be applied recursively (-R) to sub-directories.

>		chmod 777?

This gives almost _full control_ to anybody with access to the local system
(including perhaps via shared file access such as NFS or SMB (Microsoft
file sharing)) .This can include guest account(s).

There seem to be two ways of thinking about this. UN*X typically gives
quite restricted access, sometimes of a look-but-not-touch basis, until and
unless you indicate otherwise. Windows tends to give quite broad access,
~trust everybody~, until and unless told otherwise.

Yes, a chmod 777 will make all kinds of problems ~go away~, but often is
not the good thing to do. By way of analogy, not locking your house is also
a cure for sometimes forgetting your keys. But... really... do you want to
risk the possible consequences? (depends on the neighborhood is a fair
answer, perhaps, in both situations)

A chmod can be effected via the chmod command at the shell level. Often it
can also be effected via other tools... for example one Web hosting service
I use regularly has a support Web page that will do the deed. And NT (of
course) has multiple GUI (and command line) tools to do variations on the
theme.

It is easy to illustrate how to do a chmod (as others have done). Just as
it is easy to illustrate how to do a recursive deletion of an entire
directory tree.

Neither is, however, something I'd suggest doing, without first
understanding the impact, both of the functionality and of the impact in
your particular situation. If ever there was a case of ~fools rush in where
wise men fear to tread~ this could be a prime example.

At the risk of being blunt, first determine what you need to accomplish, in
quite specific detail. Then (or to accomplish same) I've one of  two
suggestions... learn not just the chmod command but also the relevant
(quite broad) areas of system administration (in considerable depth)... or
hire someone who does.

Safe computing,  /Harold
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Harold A. Driscoll                 mailto:Harold(at)Driscoll.Chi.IL.US
#include <std/disclaimer>                 http://Driscoll.Chi.IL.US

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