Re: get rid of getpwent? (Was: cygwin-1.7.28 getpwent header declaration changes ?)

[Andrey Repin <anrdaemon at yandex dot ru>]

Greetings, Warren Young!

>> LDAP IS simple.

> Anything tied to a PKI is going to be pretty complex, no matter how 
> simple the underlying tech is.

> Then there's the fact that LDAP derives from X.500, a prototypically 
> overengineered OSI emission.  DC=my,DC=sub,DC=domain,DC=com.  P'tui!

Well, well, mom said spitting is not nice.
I agree that certain parts of specification look weird for untrained eye, but
being properly explained, they make sense.
Not to mention, this all could be wrapped up by a proper interface.

>> It's a shame it is so little known outside specific circles.

> I blame the books.

I concur. Was a long time since I started grasping it, but then it was
breakthrough. Much like regexps.

> Several years ago, I bought most of what was available, since we needed 
> to do user authentication against an existing AD system in a custom 
> software system, to avoid parallel user management.

> The most useful book I found was "LDAP: Programming Directory-Enabled 
> Applications with Lightweight Directory Access Protocol", by Howes and 
> Smith, since it covers things from the C API level upward.  Most other 
> LDAP books either don't cover the programming level at all, or mention 
> it briefly on their way down from the directory service level.

I find most books problematic to understand, because they talk too much about
implementation, and too little about actual application of the system in real
world.
As an example: I have little knowledge in TCP/IP internal structure, this
doesn't stop me from troubleshooting network issues... because it is not
really necessary in 90% of real situations. The 90% of the rest is covered by
a quick googling and little extrapolation. The 1% that is left falls under
"Professionalism: An ability to make right decisions in a situation that never
happen again in your life."
Same applies to LDAP. People spoil their \m/ \m/ about how awesome they are
using such awesome technology, but offering little real help.

> It's not even the case that all the teaching material has moved online.
>   The OpenLDAP programming manual is a pile of man pages.[2]  Man pages 
> are great, but go toss a neophyte into that pile and see if she doesn't 
> come out welted, weary and wincing.

Same for ISC-DHCP... :/ The WORST documentation support for (probably) the
MOST used DHCP server.

> Given this, it's no wonder those who can write LDAP based software are 
> seen as a kind of elite.  Acquiring a working knowledge of LDAP 
> programming is akin to a baleen whale feeding itself.

Programming anything is really simple. Or I find it really simple. If you know
how to use it, you can code it. If you don't know how to use it... You are
coding a monster noone will be able to use.


--
WBR,
Andrey Repin (anrdaemon@yandex.ru) 07.02.2014, <22:02>

Sorry for my terrible english...


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