After updating to O/S 10.4.3, I naturally ran Disk Utility to repair the permissions. I was surprised to see a long list --28 of 'em-- that said "We are using special permissions for the file directory . . ." Most had to do with Widgets, including Widgets I don't have installed in the Dashboard.

After running Disk Utility 6 times since installing 10.4.3, I still get the same list of 28 special permission repairs. Is this the new normal?

Yes. The "special permissions" list has been expanded, as you saw. The system always reports these, as they are, well, special, even if it's not changing anything. You can ignore them.

From Macintouch, IMHO the very best Mac info site, this item posted today (11/3):

quote:

A number of people have reported seeing the message: "We are using special permissions for the file or directory ./Library/Widgets/Dictionary.wdgt/Dictionary.js. New permissions are 33188"
I believe this is a bug where Disk Utility forgets to mask off some bits that are returned by the system call that lists permissions, but can't be set by the system call that sets permissions. That fools it into thinking it needs to change them when it doesn't. This will be the case whenever the "new permissions" number is really large.
It's not a new bug, BTW. It must just be correcting more directories.

When "special permissions" reports have appeared for other directories, Apple support says they're simply status messages and don't indicate a problem and to ignore them.

I am once again freaked at seeing the results of Repair Permissions in Disk Utility:

Repairing permissions for “Macintosh HD”
Warning: SUID file "usr/libexec/load_hdi" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DiskManagement.framework/Versions/A/Resources/DiskManagementTool" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DesktopServicesPriv.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Locum" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Install.framework/Versions/A/Resources/runner" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Admin.framework/Versions/A/Resources/readconfig" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Admin.framework/Versions/A/Resources/writeconfig" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "usr/libexec/authopen" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/Finder.app/Contents/Resources/OwnerGroupTool" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAgent" has been modified and will not be repaired.

Permissions repair complete

All this looks rather ominous, and I'm worried. Should I be?

If I verify the HD volume, it says it appears to be O.K.

The first thing to ask yourself is "what's not working"? Because this issue with scary-looking but useless warnings keeps coming up with Permissions Repair.

This is another such case, as documented here.

I like persimmons!! They're yummy!