Linux: anthony:/home/anthony:9% uname -a Linux lappy.slc.edu 2.2.17-21mdk #1 Thu Oct 5 13:16:08 CEST 2000 i686 unknown anthony:/home/anthony:10% su Password: [root@lappy anthony]# echo $USER root [root@lappy anthony]# exit anthony:/home/anthony:11% su -l Password: [root@lappy /root]# echo $USER root [root@lappy /root]#
FreeBSD:
anthony:/home/anthony:20% uname -a
FreeBSD flack.slc.edu 4.2-RELEASE FreeBSD 4.2-RELEASE #0: Mon Nov 20 13:02:55 GMT 2000
[EMAIL PROTECTED]:/usr/src/sys/compile/GENERIC i386
anthony:/home/anthony:21% su
Password:
flack# echo $USER
anthony
flack# exit
anthony:/home/anthony:22% su -l
Password:
flack# echo $USER
root
flack# logout
anthony:/home/anthony:23%
From 'info su' on my linux box:
By default, `su' does not change the current directory. It sets the
environment variables `HOME' and `SHELL' from the password entry for
USER, and if USER is not the super-user, sets `USER' and `LOGNAME' to
USER. By default, the shell is not a login shell.
su version (on my linux box):
[root@lappy anthony]# su --version
su (GNU sh-utils) 2.0
Written by David MacKenzie.
Copyright (C) 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
[root@lappy anthony]#
Perhaps it's time to contact gnu?
-Anthony.
[ and apologies for the line wrapping ]
On Mon, Dec 17, 2001 at 03:09:19AM -0500, Brandon D. Valentine wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Dec 2001, Anthony Schneider wrote:
>
> >Well, the reason I brought up $USER inheritance is that on linux, $USER
> >is root after an su to root, whereas on FreeBSD, the $USER is the same
> >as before the su.
>
> [Line wrap at 72, please]
>
> Excerpt from su(1):
> ---
> By default, the environment is unmodified with the exception of USER,
> HOME, and SHELL. HOME and SHELL are set to the target login's default
> values. USER is set to the target login, unless the target login has a
> user ID of 0, in which case it is unmodified. The invoked shell is the
> target login's. This is the traditional behavior of su.
> <snip>
> -l Simulate a full login.
> ---
>
> You are observing none other than the expected behavior. I have never
> seen Linux (GNU) su do things any differently in this regard. If they
> do, it's broken.
>
> Brandon D. Valentine
> --
> "Iam mens praetrepidans avet vagari."
> - G. Valerius Catullus, Carmina, XLVI
>
>
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