can't change ownership on files

[inode0]

On 4/22/05, Waldher, Travis R <Travis.R.Waldher at boeing.com> wrote:
> [user at host /tmp]$ chown user2 test
> chown: changing ownership of `test': Operation not permitted
> [user at host /tmp]$
> 
> That about sums it up.  I need non-root users to be able to change
> ownership on files.

There are so many dangers to allowing this power to non-root users.
Quota becomes meaningless if file ownership can be repudiated by the
user creating the files, users can create nasty suid programs and then
make them owned by root (on some systems where non-root users can
chown files this isn't allowed but you are giving away the farm if it
is), and on and on and on.
 
> I heard there is a system setting that can be changed to make this work,
> but I haven't been able to find it.

Solaris has the rstchown flag that controls this. I'm not aware of any
similar flag in RHEL and personally would avoid it like the plague if
it were available.

Perhaps someone could find a different solution to your problem if you
could describe why you feel the need to give non-root users this
ability?!

John