These routines perform the same functions as their counterparts in the system library.

Processing /etc/passwd is *nix specific and perldoc kind of assumes we know what we're doing when it comes to *nix. The description is really in "man getpwent" with perldoc to explain the perlish differences. Yes, getpwent is an iterator.

Also look at endpwent so you can close the database when you're done and setpwent will let you rewind to the beginning.