SUGGEST: os.getuser()

[Gerrit Holl]

Michael P. Reilly wrote on 948295449:
> : try:
> :     import pwd
> :     return pwd.getpwuid(os.getuid())[0]
> : except ImportError:
> :     import os
> :     for name in ('LOGNAME', 'USER', 'LNAME', 'USERNAME'):
> :         user = os.environ.get(name)
> :         if user:
> :             return user
> :     return None
> 
> And this can mislead the program.  getpwuid() usually only stops at the
> first entry matching the given userid.  There are a lot of systems
> which have multiple accounts with the same userid, for legitimate
> reasons.  If the user has changed the environment variable, there is
> usually a reason.  If your program is so paranoid, then you probably
> want your own mechanism.

So getpwuid() is never safe? But in my program, I *also* need the
comment field. So if there are multiple uids the same, I can't get
the full name?

> Not to mention that in some ways, it is far easier to "fake" out
> accounts on a MS box than it is on a UNIX box.  And then there are Mac
> "accounts".

Well, it isn't that bad; my script runs on a Linux box, on a site about
Linux. The chance it will be a MS box in the future should be small <g>.

a-sysop-letting-multiple-identical-uids-be-in-/etc/passwd-
    -is-very-paranoid-anyway-ly yours,
Gerrit.

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