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• Beginners: File Control

  From the vault:This article first appeared in issue #1 (October 2000). You'll also find this article on our 10-year anniversary Archive DVD included in issue #120 (November 2010).

  With any operating system it is important to ensure that users remain in control of their files and directories and are prevented from tampering with those belonging to other users, or the system. This is what the Linux permissions system is all about, as Jono Bacon explains.

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• Metadata in the Shell

  Armed with the right shell commands, you can quickly identify and evaluate file and directory metadata.

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• Access Control Lists

  The ancient Linux permission system is often insufficient for complex production environments. Access Control Lists offer a flexible alternative.

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• Admin Workshop: User Management

  The steps for setting up new accounts in Linux are automated and often use GUI-based tools. Under the hood, a number of mechanisms give the new user an environment to match his or her needs. In this month’s Admin Workshop we discuss techniques for setting up accounts.

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• Perl: Sticky Bit

  People applying for IT jobs should brace themselves for the popular interview question about the sticky bit in Unix operating systems. It certainly pays to know.

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