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Path: utzoo!watmath!twltims
From: twltims@watmath.UUCP (Tracy Tims)
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: Should "su" change the USER environment variable?
Message-ID: <6048@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 30-Oct-83 21:29:31 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.6048
Posted: Sun Oct 30 21:29:31 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 31-Oct-83 10:43:18 EST
References: <12928@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 19

There are three things I commonly want to do:

	1)	Perform a "layered login".  This is in all ways like a login
		except that when I log out the other user comes back.  (Yes,
		I know how to do this.)
	2)	Become someone that I am authorized to become for purposes of
		mail, news, rogue, etc.  I still want my own shell and env-
		ironment, but I want certain environment variables changed 
		consistently to reflect a new "identity".
	3)	Assume ONLY the file access permissions of someone else.  I
		still want my own environment.

I think there should be a set of related commands providing these
functions in some easy to understand way.  It's a pain when using
someone elses UNIX system to have to spend time figuring out what the
local brand of 'su' does.

	Tracy Tims	{linus,allegra,decvax,utcsrgv}!watmath!twltims
			The University of Waterloo, 519-885-1211 x2730