pwd module vs Linux shadow passwords

[John W. Baxter]

Using Python 1.5.2 (and earlier) on BSDi, the pwd module's getpw...
functions are able to retrieve the encrypted password (from
/etc/master.passwd) if run as root.

Using Python 1.5.2 and 2.1b1 on Linux (RH 6.2), the functions do not
similarly dig the encrypted password out of /etc/shadow.

Is the latter action intentional, or is something not being set up
right by
./configure
in building Python on RH 6.2?

Thanks.

  --John (who will be trying to figure out the answer in his copious
free time)
-- 
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
(stolen, of course)