WYNTK: UNIX System Admininistrator

If you need permissions changed, you can ask the owner of the file or the system administrator.

Some examples of file permissions and what they mean

-rw-rw-rwmeans that the file’s owner, the file’s group, and all others have read and write permission to the file.

-rw-rw---means that the file’s owner and the file’s group have read and write permission. No one else has permission for the file.

-rw-r--r-means that the file’s owner has read and write permission. All others can read the file but cannot save any changes.

-rw------means that only the owner can read and write the file. No one else can even look at it.

It happens now and then that you need to read or change a file, and you don’t have permission to do so. You need the permissions changed, and only two people can do that: the owner and the system administrator.

In general, you should always try to get the owner of the file to help you before you try to find the administrator. The reason is that the owner is likely to know what the file is for and who should actually have access to it. Administrators are unlikely to be familiar with every file on the system and may therefore be wary about giving you permission without first consulting the owner.