Thanks! and... the su command

[Freek Nossin]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dan Nelson [mailto:dnelson at allantgroup.com]
> Sent: zondag 26 maart 2006 8:54
> To: Saul Mena Avila
> Cc: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: Thanks! and... the su command
> 
> In the last episode (Mar 26), Saul Mena Avila said:
> > Hi!. Thanks for helping me with the USB flash memory. I've also have
> trouble
> > with the su command... since I installed the FreeBSD 5.4, everytime I
> try to
> > login as root with su, the shell answers me with "Sorry"... and that's
> all.
> > Is it wrong configured or installed?
> 
> You need to be in the 'wheel' group to su to root.  It's not mentioned
> in the su manpage, but is in both the FAQ and handbook.
> 
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/faq/admin.html
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/securing-
> freebsd.html
> 
> --
> 	Dan Nelson
> 	dnelson at allantgroup.com


Although it is described in the handbook, in my opinion an "error message",
or more generally a "feedback message", should give more useful feedback to
the user. Now the user must think of all the checks that can fail while - in
this case - authenticating, which is rather silly when you think of it,
because the su-command, just did exactly the same, and could have easily
printed a message that would describe the check on which it returned the
error.

- Freek Nossin

PS:
cc to freebsd-?