Re: TCP password request timeout

[TYSON@Warbucks.AI.SRI.COM (Mabry Tyson)]

    Date: Thu, 29 Mar 90 15:48 PST
    From: jackg%cogsci@ucsd.edu (Jack Greenbaum)

     >Date: Thu, 29 Mar 90 14:54 PST
     >From: Monty Kosma <kosma%stc-sun@STC.LOCKHEED.COM>
     >To: slug%alan@STC.LOCKHEED.COM, symbolics%alan@STC.LOCKHEED.COM
     >Subject: TCP password request timeout
     >
     >Anybody know anything about the following?
     >
     >I'm using tcp and compiling a bunch of source files which reside on a
     >remote (unix) machine.  At the beginning of the compile operation, I am
     >prompted for my password, which I can understand, but then several times
     >throughout the compiling of the system I am again and again asked for my
     >password.  It seems as if there is some sort of a timeout or something, as
     >it doesn't ask each time it gets a new file.  Any idea on how I can change
     >this behavior?  It would be nice for it to at least wait for a bit longer
     >before rerequesting the password.
     >
     >monty
     >

    We use (setf fs:*remember-passwords* t).

    -- Jack

As I recall from trying to track this down in the past, the problem lies in
the fact that the Symbolics wants to reuse the port on the FTP connection
but the foreign host hasn't yet finished closing it and so refuses to reuse
it.  So the Symbolics opens another FTP connection and requires the login
again.

Please realize that if you set FS:*REMEMBER-PASSWORDS* to T, then
someone could walk up to your machine and, in a matter of seconds, get
all your passwords to all the systems you FTPed to.  No encryption to
fool with...