[comp.os.vms] VAX/L&T SIG Tape Reviews: VAX90B - Brodie

ted@nieland.DAYTON.OH.US (Ted Nieland) (04/15/91)

Tape:		VAX90B
Section:	[.BRODIE]
Reviewer: 	Earle Ake

Ease of Installation:	5
Documentation:		4
Intended Audience:	System Managers
Ease of use:		5
Usefulness:		4
Sources included:	Yes, for the DCL utilities
Objects Supplied:	N/A

	This submission from Kent Brodie includes some useful utilities for
the system manager.  AUTH is an automated way to create accounts.  This is
used on Kent's system and serves ONLY as an example and can not be used as
it is.  LASER_DAEMON takes care of those stalled serial printer queues that
operators never get notified about.  REPLY_USERS combines the VMS mail
distribution idea with the REPLY command allowing broadcast messages to
users on the distribution list.  VMS$SECUREPWD is a password scanning utility
which is useful on VMS V5.0 - V5.3-2 systems.  VMS 5.4 introduces password
checking as they are changed which obsoletes this utility.  Also, VT100 demo
is useful for checking just how COMPATIBLE your terminal emulator really is.

	I found REPLY_USERS useful for those who want to send a message to
others in your group without sending a message to everybody on the system.
This utility does a REPLY so you need the priv's to execute it.  VT100 demo
is interesting to try out on those third party terminals who sometimes CLAIM
vt100 compatability but may not be.  VMS$SECUREPWD is an easy fix for those
who want some password security but can't go do VMS V5.4 to get it.  AUTH
serves as a good example of writing your own account creation utility.