config/4306: Directory /*/public_html is confusing to new administrators

[Bruce Ritchie <br...@zeuter.com>]

>Number:         4306
>Category:       config
>Synopsis:       Directory /*/public_html is confusing to new administrators
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    apache
>State:          open
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   apache
>Arrival-Date:   Sun Apr 25 14:10:00 PDT 1999
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     brucer@zeuter.com
>Organization:
apache
>Release:        1.3.6
>Environment:
Solaris 2.7, but applicable to probably more that Solaris.
>Description:
The example for controlling access to public_html directories is confusing to new administrators and perhaps could be made simpler.

In the httpd.conf the following is used as an example for permissions to public_html directories:

#
# Control access to UserDir directories.  The following is an example
# for a site where these directories are restricted to read-only.
#
#<Directory /*/public_html>
#    AllowOverride FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
#    Options MultiViews Indexes SymLinksIfOwnerMatch IncludesNoExec
#    <Limit GET POST OPTIONS PROPFIND>
#        Order allow,deny
#        Allow from all
#    </Limit>
#    <Limit PUT DELETE PATCH PROPPATCH MKCOL COPY MOVE LOCK UNLOCK>
#        Order deny,allow
#        Deny from all
#    </Limit>
#</Directory>

However, in some cases (solaris is a good example), the default home directories are not second level directories, but rather third. Perhaps something like the following would be better an cause less confusion:


#
# Control access to UserDir directories.  The following is an example
# for a site where these directories are restricted to read-only.
#
#<Directory ~ "^/.*/public_html">
#    AllowOverride FileInfo AuthConfig Limit
#    Options MultiViews Indexes SymLinksIfOwnerMatch IncludesNoExec
#    <Limit GET POST OPTIONS PROPFIND>
#        Order allow,deny
#        Allow from all
#    </Limit>
#    <Limit PUT DELETE PATCH PROPPATCH MKCOL COPY MOVE LOCK UNLOCK>
#        Order deny,allow
#        Deny from all
#    </Limit>
#</Directory>

I believe this is a small but not insignificant change that could help new administrators quickly setup apache.

>How-To-Repeat:

>Fix:
See the full description.
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:
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