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From: ramakris@bloss.cs.vt.edu (S Ramakrishnan)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Substitute-User or Super-User ?
Keywords: su, superuser, substitue user.
Message-ID: <868@creatures.cs.vt.edu>
Date: 26 Jan 91 03:34:40 GMT
Sender: usenet@creatures.cs.vt.edu
Reply-To: ramakris@bloss.cs.vt.edu (S Ramakrishnan)
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Organization: Virginia Tech Computer Science, Blacksburg, VA
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I always thought 'su'  was a 'substitute user' command. Its seems
apt also, since it allows the current USER to be changed to the
specified user-id. Of course, default value of this parameter is
root.

That being so, why do so many reputed (?) shell programming books 
describe 'su' as 'super user' command  ('becoming a super user -- su').
Was it originally meant to be become-superuser command ?

--
    S.Ramakrishnan, CS Dept, McBryde Hall, VaTech, Blacksburg, Virg. 24061-0106
     (Email : Internet : ramakris@bloss.cs.vt.edu )
     (            UUCP : padma@topsy.UUCP         )