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Date:      Wed, 27 Oct 1999 11:06:25 +0200
From:      Sheldon Hearn <sheldonh@uunet.co.za>
To:        Michael Rothenberg <rothenberg@automationonline.com>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Root and other super users 
Message-ID:  <33792.941015185@axl.noc.iafrica.com>
In-Reply-To: Your message of "Tue, 26 Oct 1999 12:14:12 -0400." <3.0.3.32.19991026121412.00728cd8@slider> 

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On Tue, 26 Oct 1999 12:14:12 -0400, Michael Rothenberg wrote:

> What exactly is the difference between root and a super user?

The superuser has the user id 0 which is magic, while root is just a
username whose user id is usually 0. :-)

> Everyone says that I should have an addition user that I log in as to
> su and then perform various maint. stuff.

That is correct. You should do your own personal mucking about as a
non-priveledged user. You should become the superuser only when you need
to fiddle with the system.

> Doesnt a su have all the power of root? Or, only the power that root
> grants to the wheel group? Confusing. must read more.

Yes. The su(8) manpage. :-)

Ciao,
Sheldon.


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