/usr/bin/passwd offers a "safe way" for root to edit /etc/passwd (or shadow). If setuid it allows regular users to change passwd without asking root to do changes for them.
(note: does have learning curve on args to choose)
gnupasswd - gnu change user password
gnugpasswd - gnu change group password
gnupasswd(1) has a goal to work with older login.c/linux and some newer too, also "getpwent" (any glibc). or help convert.
gnupassd does pass only: leaves all else alone (compat). ...
nisldapd is a software daemon written in C for *nix systems that can provide user and group information via NIS/YP which is published in an LDAP datastore. The daemon runs only if there have been changes made in LDAP that are relevant to NIS/YP.
The project is to optimize both the Linux Workstation and School Server at for student usage. All the applications that were available would be systematically replaced with linux applications. The Network connections to the existing systems remain inta