absence of crypt(3) conflicts with useradd(8) man page

[Lars Noodén]

Binary package hint: passwd

useradd(8) says:

     -p, --password PASSWORD
           The encrypted password, as returned by crypt(3).

however, crypt(3) is unavailable:
 $ sudo apt-get install crypt
 Reading package lists... Done
 Building dependency tree
 Reading state information... Done
 E: Couldn't find package crypt

and appears to have been replaced by mcrypt(1)

  $crypt
  Unix crypt(1) emulation program using mcrypt(1).

   Use crypt -h for more help.
   Enter the passphrase (maximum of 512 characters)
   Please use a combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers.
   Enter passphrase:

However, the manpage for mcrypt has no obvious description of a way to generate a hash to use with
useradd --passwd

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 8.04.1
Release: 8.04

$ crypt -V;crypt -v;mcrypt -v
Unix crypt(1) emulation program using mcrypt(1).

Use crypt -h for more help.
'key': not enough arguments
Error in the arguments. Use the --help parameter for more info.
Unix crypt(1) emulation program using mcrypt(1).

Use crypt -h for more help.
'key': not enough arguments
Error in the arguments. Use the --help parameter for more info.
Mcrypt v.2.6.4 (x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu)
Linked against libmcrypt v.2.5.7
Copyright (C) 1998-2002 Nikos Mavroyanopoulos (<email address hidden>)

$ apt-cache policy mcrypt
mcrypt:
  Installed: 2.6.4-3.2ubuntu2
  Candidate: 2.6.4-3.2ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 2.6.4-3.2ubuntu2 0
        500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/universe Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

$ apt-cache policy passwd
passwd:
  Installed: 1:4.0.18.2-1ubuntu2
  Candidate: 1:4.0.18.2-1ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 1:4.0.18.2-1ubuntu2 0
        500 http://fi.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[Nicolas François (nekral-lists)]

crypt(3) is provided by manpages-dev.

I don't think this note in useradd(8) is sufficient to add a dependency on manpages-dev.

[maxhex (m-astoor)]

<email address hidden>

[Lars Noodén (larsnooden)]

crypt(3) is also mentioned in shadow(5) and passwd(5)

shadow and passwd are in use in regular ubuntu.

"encrypted password
           Refer to crypt(3) for details on ..."

Still missing in 9.10b