[Python-Dev] netrc.py

[Fred L. Drake, Jr.]

Eric S. Raymond writes:
 > As the original designer, I say -1.  It's not clear to me or when
 > how entries of this kind have value.  But I'm willing to be
 > convinced otherwise by a good argument.

Looking at the netrc(5) manpage on my RedHat 7.3 box, I'd say it's
clear that a machine entry without a login should specifically
suppress autologin for that machine.  For example, this .netrc file:

  machine ftp.example.com
  default login anonymous password fred@example.com

should cause autologin on every machine except for ftp.example.com.
If the ftp.example.com entry is simply dropped, the default could be
used, and that would be wrong.

So I think the entry should be retained, with a login value of None.


  -Fred

-- 
Fred L. Drake, Jr.  <fdrake at acm.org>
PythonLabs at Zope Corporation