@vindex backup-by-copying
@vindex backup-by-copying-when-linked
@vindex backup-by-copying-when-mismatch
- The choice of renaming or copying is controlled by three variables.
+@vindex backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch
+@cindex file ownership, and backup
+@cindex backup, and user's uid
+ The choice of renaming or copying is controlled by four variables.
Renaming is the default choice. If the variable
@code{backup-by-copying} is non-@code{nil}, copying is used. Otherwise,
if the variable @code{backup-by-copying-when-linked} is non-@code{nil},
variable @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} is non-@code{nil}, then
copying is used if renaming would cause the file's owner or group to
change. @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} is @code{t} by default
-if you start Emacs as the superuser.
+if you start Emacs as the superuser. The fourth variable,
+@code{backup-by-copying-when-privileged-mismatch}, gives the highest
+numeric user id for which @code{backup-by-copying-when-mismatch} will be
+forced on. This is useful when low-numbered uid's are assigned to
+special system users, such as @code{root}, @code{bin}, @code{daemon},
+etc., which must maintain ownership of files.
When a file is managed with a version control system (@pxref{Version
Control}), Emacs does not normally make backups in the usual way for