How to give permission to others on data directory

Hi All,

Recently we got into problem of giving permission to data directory.

(1) Actually we are doing project on PostgreSQL in group of two. We installed individual copy of PostgreSQL into our group directory.
(2) When I created data directory and ran "initdb" it makes me( takes my login name ) as the owner of data directory.
(3) The problem is that now my partner cannot start the postmaster since he does not have right on the data directory. Further one cannot set right on the data directory more than 700 .
(4) For time being we hacked the postmaster.c and commented the line starting from 318 which actually test the permission on data directory. Then my partner was able to run the postmaster since now I gave him rights(770) on the data directory(But changed rights on postgresql.conf file to 744).

(5) Is there a clean way by which my partner can start postmaster on data directory created by me.

Thanks and Regards

Amit Khare