Arch Linux

A normal user should have write access to /var/tmp, it should have the sticky bit set, just like /tmp.

From my understanding of the Linux file system hierarchy I would say that `/var/tmp` should be used by daemons and such, and not by ordinary applications. Citing from the LFSH 2.3 (at http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html ):
~~~~
/tmp : Temporary files
Purpose
The /tmp directory must be made available for programs that require temporary files.
Programs must not assume that any files or directories in /tmp are preserved between invocations of the program.
~~~~
/var/tmp : Temporary files preserved between system reboots
Purpose
The /var/tmp directory is made available for programs that require temporary files or directories that are preserved between system reboots. Therefore, data stored in /var/tmp is more persistent than data in /tmp.
Files and directories located in /var/tmp must not be deleted when the system is booted. Although data stored in /var/tmp is typically deleted in a site-specific manner, it is recommended that deletions occur at a less frequent interval than /tmp.
~~~~

Even though the specification doesn't exactly point to the intended usage or access rights, I would say that the temporary files needed by `pdfjam` fit better the description of `/tmp` than of `/var/tmp`.

Anyway I think that the solution for this bug depends entirely on a "political" decision: which is the purpose of `/tmp` and which of `/var/tmp`. (I've tried to find such an answer on the ArchLinux Wiki but I came-out empty handed.)

The files generated by pdfnup must undoubtly (in my opinion) end up in /tmp and not in /var/tmp. However, maintaining packages will be easier if we do the least number of changes to the upstream distribution: A suggestion can be made to the tex-live mailing list concerning this.

In any case, a normal installation of ArchLinux, as far as I know, would set permissions 1777 on /var/tmp.

I admit that I'm not using the vanilla ArchLinux `fstab`, but instead I use `/var/tmp` with 0755 mode. (I don't remember what was the reason for this decision. Maybe I've inherited it from my Debian installation.)

I'll try to suggest this to the `texlive` upstream. As I've seen that you (Remy) are the maintainer of this package, could you provide me with the contact details for the texlive team?

As TeXLive is in sync with new releases of packages on CTAN, it is probably more convenient to contact the author of pdfjam directly, his email address is on the homepage
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/statistics/staff/academic/firth/software/pdfjam

Thanks for the pointer. I've written to the developer and explained him the problem / feature. I'm waiting for his feedback.

Well I've asked the developer and he declined the change stating that the package was shipped with `/var/tmp` for more than 8 years and I was the only one to complain.

So I give up. I'll not press this any longer.