FreeBSD NIS server and LINUX NIS clients

There are some problems connnecting a Linux NIS client to a FreeBSD NIS
server
(Linux is RH9 and freeBSD is 4.9 RELEASE but i believe it concerns all
versions)

Description:
Having both sides setup , users always get an authentication failure on
the linux boxes.

Same problem is described in
http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-net/2003-August/001126.html

There it is suggested that the only problem is a missing NIS map (  named
master.passwd in freeBSD)
shadow.byname.


However patching as suggested the /var/yp/Makefile doesnot solve the
problem although it sure is necssary to
make the shadow map.

Linux authentication routine is distrubbed by the presence of asterisk in
tha passwd tables and maps
an really foolishly expects an "x"

I have made small modification in line 470
changing from

print $$1":*:"$$3":"$$4":"$$8":"$$9":"$$10}' $^ \
to
 print $$1":x"$$3":"$$4":"$$8":"$$9":"$$10}' $^ \



 FreeBSD NIS clients seem not have spotted the difference.
 However having searched for possible implications i must point out that
the asterisk is used in the
 /usr/src/usr.sbin/rpc.yppasswdd/yppasswdd_server.c  (read comments line
348 )  so i suggest changing line 416
  pw->pw_name, *(ptr+1) == '*' ? "*" : pw->pw_passwd,
to
   pw->pw_name, *(ptr+1) == ('*'||'x') ? "x" : pw->pw_passwd,

   Results:
    Linux client users can cleanly authenticate now
    I have no indication of any implication in FBSD NIS clients but it
sure is necessary for someone to look more thoroughly

    More work to be done:
    A user on a linux client still cant change his password using yppasswd
, so .. they still have to visit a freebsd box and use yppasswd there
:-)


Conclusion:
    It would be appreciable if  someone (on either side) made NIS work
fine out of the box

Thank you