(Cut From: http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-1047531.html )
Directory permissions
Permissions for directories aren't exactly the same as they are for files. Here are some typical permissions required on directories:
- Execute permission is required for a user to cd into a directory.
- Read permission is required for a user to use a command such as ls to view the files contained in a directory.
- Execute-only permission allows a user to access the files in a directory as long as the user knows the names of the files in the directory, and the user is allowed to read the files.
- Write permission allows the user to create, delete, or modify any files or subdirectories, even if the file or subdirectory is owned by another user.