RE: [cobalt-users] How do I clear a users e-mail out?

["Oliver Hasprich" <Oliver.Hasprich@xxxxxx>]

> > shell# > /var/spool/mail/user
> > 
> > This takes an input value of nothing and over writes the file 
> > with it. Very quick and simple way of getting rid of mail.
>  
> Yup, that'll deal with that user's email, that's for sure.
> This is what happens (listing of part of mailspool):
> 
> -rw-rw----   1 johndoe  mail       492065 Nov 16 10:44 johndoe
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     root            0 Mar 16 11:36 user
> 
> Slight ownership / permissions problem.

Not at all. If you overwrite an existing file, UNIX/LINUX will
keep the file?s ownership and permission settings and will only
replace its contents. This problem only occurs if you create a
completely new file (as you did here). In this case, the new
file is created with the current user?s user/group and umask
settings.

Example: Having

  -rw-rw----   1 johndoe  mail       492065 Nov 16 10:44 johndoe

in your directory and executing > /var/spool/mail/user as root
will result in the new file

  -rw-rw----   1 johndoe  mail       492065 Nov 16 10:44 johndoe
  -rw-r--r--   1 root     root            0 Mar 16 11:36 user

But executing > /var/spool/mail/johndoe will lead you to

  -rw-rw----   1 johndoe  mail            0 Mar 16 11:36 johndoe

Best regards,
Oliver Hasprich