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Newsgroups: comp.unix.shell,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.x,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,gnu.misc.discuss,comp.unix.solaris Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!uunet!in1.uu.net!204.212.38.29!news.rootsweb.com!uchinews!not-for-mail From: eric@fudge.uchicago.edu (Eric Fischer) Subject: Re: unix acronyms -collecting a list? X-Nntp-Posting-Host: fudge.uchicago.edu Message-ID: <EAAHDD.7E2@midway.uchicago.edu> Sender: news@midway.uchicago.edu (News Administrator) X-Newsposter: Pnews 4.0-test51 (15 Jan 97) Organization: The University of Chicago References: <5kd2ng$c8b$1@rzsun02.rrz.uni-hamburg.de> <337B106B.4021@att.com> <5li53q$gvo@overload.lbl.gov> <337C9EFF.10B4D946@uniQserve.com> Date: Fri, 16 May 1997 19:41:37 GMT Lines: 43 Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.shell:45068 comp.os.linux.misc:175675 comp.os.linux.x:61767 comp.unix.bsd.misc:3280 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:41061 gnu.misc.discuss:31320 comp.unix.solaris:106724 Dr. Borg <vladiQmip@uniQserve.com> wrote: > > su - super-user, temporarily switch to a new user ID > > This is obviously wrong. One can 'su' from one user to another > and it doesn't have to be superuser. Also, one can 'su' from > superuser status to a regular user with normal privileges. I > think "Switch User" has been so far the best interpretation of > 'su' in this thread. No sense of history! In early versions of Unix, the su command was only capable of switching to root. It was extended to switch to arbitrary users beginning in the Seventh Edition. I enclose a copy of the Sixth Edition man page below: --------------------------------------------------------------------- SU(VIII) 10/31/73 SU(VIII) NAME su - become privileged user SYNOPSIS su DESCRIPTION Su allows one to become the super-user, who has all sorts of marvelous (and correspondingly dangerous) powers. In order for su to do its magic, the user must supply a password. If the password is correct, su will execute the Shell with the UID set to that of the super-user. To restore normal UID privileges, type an end-of-file to the super-user Shell. The password demanded is that of the entry "root" in the system's password file. To remind the super-user of his responsibilities, the Shell substitutes '#' for its usual prompt '%'. SEE ALSO sh(I) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Eric